title: Aspects of silane coupling agents and surface conditioning in dentistry: an overview.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To give an overview of aspects of silane coupling agents and surface conditioning in dentistry.
  
  
  METHODS
  Currently, silane coupling agents are used as adhesion promoters. Silanes are effective in enhancing adhesion between resin composite and silica-based ceramics. They do not bond effectively to non-silica based dental restorative materials. Surface conditioning of non-silica based ceramics with silica coating improves the bonding. This current overview will focus on the silane coupling agents: their properties, limitations in adhesion promotion and the clinical problems with the use of silanes. It will also focus on the current surface conditioning methods as well as new surface conditioning techniques to enhance the bonding through conventional silanization approaches.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several surface conditioning methods are being used clinically to enhance the adhesion of resin composites to non-silica based restorative materials. Other approaches are under investigation. The clinical problem of using silanes in adhesion promotion is the bond degradation over time in oral environment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current silane coupling agents are not ideal. The current silane coupling agents can fulfill the minimum requirements in clinical practice to enhance the bonding of resin composite to dental restorative materials. Developments of novel surface conditioning methods and silane coupling agents are required to address the bond durability problem.
authors.affiliation: Dental Materials Science, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, China. yklung@graduate.hku.hk
authors.forename: Christie Ying Kei
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lung
authors.forename: Jukka Pekka
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Matinlinna
mesh_terms: D000134:Acid Etching, Dental / Q000379:methods; D000268:Adhesiveness; D002516:Ceramics / Q000737:chemistry; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D001840:Dental Bonding / Q000379:methods*; D045662:Dental Etching / Q000379:methods; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D012821:Silanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003188:Composite Resins; D003722:Dental Alloys; D003764:Dental Materials; D012821:Silanes; D012822:Silicon Dioxide