Post-treatment with high-power lasers to improve bond strength of adhesive systems to bleached dentin

To assess the effect of Er:YAG and diode lasers on the shear bond strength (SBS) of adhesive systems to bovine dentin submitted to bleaching with a high concentration agent. One hundred and twenty bovine dentin fragments were used. Fragments were distributed into 12 groups (n = 10) considering the bleaching (present or not), surface post-treatment (untreated, Er:YAG laser or diode laser) and adhesive system (total-etching or self-etching). Specimens received two applications of 38% hydrogen peroxide. Er:YAG laser (2940 nm, 200 mJ, 4 Hz) and diode laser (980 nm, 1.5 W) were applied for 15 s on bleached dentin surface. Restoration was performed with resin using split matrix. Specimens were submitted to SBS test and data (MPa) were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey’s test (α = 0.05). SBS of bleached specimens decreased in comparison with non-bleached (p < 0.05). The highest values were obtained for the post-treatment with Er:YAG laser (p < 0.05). Total-etching adhesive was superior to self-etching system (p < 0.05). The irradiation of bleached dentin with Er:YAG laser followed by the application of the total-etching adhesive had similar SBS to unbleached dentin with no post-treatment (control) (p > 0.05). Er:YAG laser post-treatment followed by the total-etching adhesive system improve the bond strength of restorative material to bleached dentin.