This study assessed the effects of immersion media [distilled water (dw), phosphate buffered saline (pbs) and simulated body fluid (sbf)] in the physical properties [fluid uptake/sorption/solubility and alkalinization activity (pH)] and bioactivity of a bioceramic sealer: the BioRoot RCS (BioRoot) (Septodont). The epoxy-resin sealer AH Plus (Dentsply) was used as comparison. Sealers were immersed in dw, pbs and sbf to evaluate the fluid uptake/sorption/solubility and pH’s media. Bioactivity was assessed with SEM/EDS, FTIR-ATR and XRD. BioRoot solubility was as follows: sbf > pbs = dw. BioRoot had alkaline pH, and AH Plus had neutral pH, regardless of the medium. BioRoot presented mineral precipitates and peaks indicating hydroxyapatite-precursors in pbs and sbf. AH Plus physical properties were not affected by immersion media and it had no bioactivity. pbs and sbf should be preferred to investigate bioceramic sealers over distilled water, because they were able to highlight the sealer properties. BioRoot maintained the alkaline environment and favored hard tissue deposition.

This study evaluated the effects of three metal primers and one multi-mode adhesive system on the shear bond strength (SBS) of a flowable composite resin to nickel-chrome metal alloy (Ni-Cr). Ninety plates were cast from Ni-Cr and divided in nine groups (n=10). The surfaces were sandblasted with Al₂O₃ and primed with three adhesive primers: Alloy Primer (AP), Universal Primer (TP) and RelyX Ceramic Primer (CP), and a multi-mode adhesive (Scotchbond Universal, SU). The Adper Single Bond Plus (SB) and SU adhesives were also combined with adhesive primers. Control group did not have any surface treatment. The groups were: AP, AP+SB, AP+SU, TP+SB, TP+SU, CP+SB, CP+SU and SU. Composite cylinders were built on alloy surface. After 24 h, half the specimens were subjected to SBS and the other half to thermal cycling before testing. Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test (a=0.05). Failure modes were assessed by SEM observation. Higher SBS were obtained with AP and TP combined with adhesives at 24 h and the lowest one for control group. Thermocycling reduced SBS for AP, CP+SU and SU. Combination between TP and SU resulted in the highest SBS after the thermocycling. TP groups showed all types of failures and high incidence of mixed failures. The use of AP and UP metal primers before application of SU and SB adhesive systems increased the SBS of composite to Ni-Cr. These combinations between metal primers and adhesives had the highest SBS after thermocycling.