title: Self-etch and etch-and-rinse adhesive systems in clinical dentistry.
abstract: Current adhesive systems follow either an "etch-and-rinse" or "self-etch" approach, which differ in how they interact with natural tooth structures. Etch-and-rinse systems comprise phosphoric acid to pretreat the dental hard tissues before rinsing and subsequent application of an adhesive. Self-etch adhesives contain acidic monomers, which etch and prime the tooth simultaneously. Etch-and-rinse adhesives are offered as two- or three-step systems, depending on whether primer and bonding are separate or combined in a single bottle. Similarly, self-etch adhesives are available as one- or two-step systems. Both etch-and-rinse and self-etch systems form a hybrid layer as a result of resins impregnating the porous enamel or dentin. Despite current trends toward fewer and simpler clinical application steps, one-step dentin bonding systems exhibit bonding agent lower bond strengths and seem less predictable than multi-step etch-and-rinse and self-etch systems. The varying evidence available today suggests that the choice between etch-and-rinse and self-etch systems is often a matter of personal preference. In general, however, phosphoric acid creates a more pronounced and retentive etching pattern in enamel. Therefore, etch-and-rinse bonding systems are often preferred for indirect restorations and when large areas of enamel are still present. Conversely, self-etch adhesives provide superior and more predictable bond strength to dentin and are, consequently, recommended for direct composite resin restorations, especially when predominantly supported by dentin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive and Restorative Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Fusun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.forename: Markus B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Blatz
mesh_terms: D000134:Acid Etching, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D001840:Dental Bonding / Q000379:methods*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D003804:Dentin / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017220:Dentin-Bonding Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D006801:Humans; D010756:Phosphoric Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D003764:Dental Materials; D017220:Dentin-Bonding Agents; D010756:Phosphoric Acids; C030242:phosphoric acid