Effect of surface conditioning techniques on the resistance

of resin composite core materiais on titanium posts

Ismail Aki§li, Dr Med DentVMutlu Özcan, Dr Med Dentä/Ibrahim Nergiz, Dr Med Dent^

Objective: This study evaiuated the resistance of various post and core materiais against torsional forces
on differently conditioned ¡itanium posts. Method and materials: One hundred fifty pure titanium posts
(DIN 17850-TÍ4/3.7065) were conditioned utiiizing Siiicoater Classicai, Siiicoater MD, Rocatec, Kevloc. and
Siloc. Subsequentiy, three post and core materials (Adaptic, Coradent, Ti-Core) were applied to titanium
posts that were previously coated with a light-cured opaquer (Dentacolor), Thirty sandblasted titanium
posts were used as reference for each core materiai. Foiiowing thermocycling (5°C to 55°C, for 30 sec-
onds or 5,000 cycles), maximum tcrs/onal forces were determined with an eiectronic torque movement
key. Results; Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U-tests indicated significant differences between Adaptic,
Coradent, Ti-Core (20,9 dNm, 18,84 dNm, and 18.62 dNm, respectively). There were no significant differ-
ences between Siiicoater Classicai (18,56 dNm), Siiicoater MD ¡18,18 dNm), and Rocatec (16,95 dNm),
whiie Siloc exhibited the highest results (20,44 dNm), Kevioc demonstrated significantiy tower results
(10.43 dNm) than those of other systems and fhe controi group (14,49 dNm), Conclusion: Resistance of
core materials against torsionai forces on titanium posts increased with the use of chemical surface condi-
tioning tGohniques, while the system using oniy aorylization did not improve the resistance in comparison
to the unconditioned posts. (Quintessence Int 2003:34:766-771)

Key words: post and core materiais, surface conditioning techniques, titanium posts

tistry. In recent years, these systetns also are produced

CUNICAL RELEVANCE: For durable resistance of oore
materials to titanium posts, modern surface conditioning
systems based on silica coating/silanization or silica coat-
in g/ac ry I izati on are ciinicaily recommended.
umerous screw or threaded prefabricated post
N systems are commercially available since the
restoration of endodontically treated teeth with posts
and cores gained more importance in today's den-
'Resaarcti Assistant, University of Hamburg, Dentai School. Department ot
Operative Oentistry and Periodorlology, Hambjrg, Germany,
^Assistant Professor. Lecturer, Marmara University, Facijlly of Dentistry,
Department of Piosthcdontics. Istanbul. Turkey,
älnstructor. University cf Hamburg, Dental School. Department of Operative
Oentistry and Periodontology, Hamburg, Germany,
Reprint r e q u e s t s : D< Muliu Özcan. Universily of Groningen, Faculty
of Medioal Sciences, Department of Dentisiry and Oral Hygiene. Antonius
DeuEinglaan 1 , 9713 Av, Groningen, The Wetherlands, E-mail:
mutluozcan@hotmail,oom
out of pure titanium and titanium alloys in addition to
the traditional stainless steei posts, due to their bio-
compatibilify, A partial or entire loss of core materials
especially of titanium posts, which has a low modulus
of elasticity, is an undesirable experience both for the
patient and the dentist.
In chnicai practice, post design and type of post
and core materials have been intitnately involved in
the retention of endodontically treated teeth. The
long-term clinical performance of prefabricated posts
and cores depends on a number of factors,'-^ and re-
tention of the core material is one of the most signifi-
cant cf these,'-« Both experimental and clinical re-
ports provided evidence of significant differences in
the survival of the posts with particular emphasis on
post and core attachment,'«.^ Detachment of a post
and core from the post surface is produced by masti-
catory stress, and some researchers have investigated
the in vitro durability of core materials and their clini-
l idii
The use of prefabricated posts with amalgam, resin
composite, or glass ionomer core buildups has become

766 Volume 34, Number 10, 2003

 • Akiçii el ai

TABLE 1 Characteristics of surface-conditioning methods

Trade name Conditioning pnnciple Manufacturer
Silicoater Classical (SC] Silica coating-silanization Heraeus-Kulzer
Silicoater MD (SMD) Silica coating-silaniiation Heraeus-Kulzer
Rocatec (RC) Silica coating-si lam ¿at i on ESPE
Kevloc (KV) Aorylization Heraeus-Kulzer
Siloc (SL] Siiica coating-acrylization Heraeus-Kulzer

widespread,"'2 Reduced chair time and ease of ma-

nipulation of prefabricated posts, as compared witb
cast posts and cores, make the procedure appealing to
practitioners. Core buildups in amalgam offer high
compressive strength and ease of manipulation,'^ but
resin composites also gained acceptance as a choice of
core materials as they offer an advantage over amal-
gam, because they can be prepared immediately and
impressed for restoration with a full casting,"" With
dentin bonding agents, resin composites also öfter tbe
advantage of being adberent to tooth structure. The
results flom a survey* indicated that resin composite
has become one of the most frequently used materials
for core buildups,
Tbe advent of adhesive dentistry has resulted in the
recent introduction of modem surface treatment meth-
ods,'^ The manufacturers of most new surface treat-
ment systems require sandblasflng of tbe metal prior to
bonding in order to achieve high bond strengtb. From
those systems, Silicoater Classical, Silicoater MD, and
Roeatec work with silica coating and silanization;
Kevloc with acrylization; and Siloc with botb silica
coating and acrylization principles. In tbeory, tbese in-
troduced techniques provide ultrafine mechanical re-
tention by sandblasting, as well as a chemicophysical
bonding between tbe composite and tbe alloy surfaces
using a silane coupling agent and an opaquer.
Altbougb many other comparative studies exist
showing the advantages of various types of surface
conditioning methods both on base and nohle al-
loys,'^" limited information is available concerning tbe
use of tbese techniques on titanium substrate,'^
Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the in-
fluence of current surface conditioning methods on
the resistance of various hybrid composite core mate-
rials against torsionai forces on titanium posts.
METHOD AND MATERIALS
One hundred flfly pure titanium posts witb 3-mm core
diameters anc3 15-mm lengtbs were prepared accord-
ing to DIN 17850-TÍ4/3,70651, Five surface condition-
ing techniques witb an opaquer and tbree post and
core materiais were assessed. Tables 1 and 2 summa-
TABLE 2 Type of core materials*
Trade name Polymerization Manufacturer
Adaptic (AD] Chemicaliy cured Johnson S Johnson
Coradent (CD) Chemically cured Vivad ent
Ti-Cofe (TC) Chemically cured EDS
'All cores were hybrid.
rize tbe characteristics of surface conditioning metb-
ods and types and polymerization principles of the
core materials. Specimens were divided into groups
according to core materials and surface conditioning
methods, with each group comprising 10 samples.
Thirty titanium posts sandblasted witb 250 pm alu-
minum oxide for 30 seconds for each core material,
were used as references. The surface roughness of tbe
control samples, which was initially Rz = -2 pm, was
measured to be Rz = -13 pm after sandblasting
(Pruefgerät Typ 402, Mitutoyo),
Surface conditioning methods
Titanium posts were conditioned and silanized chemi-
cally according to the manufacturers' recommendations,
Silicoater Classical (SC). The surface was sand-
blasted flrst with 250 \im aluminum oxide for 30 sec-
onds at 4 bar. The sandblasted surfaces were coated
witb Siliclean solution (Heraeus-Kulzer), After wasb-
ing, the surface was air dried for 2 minutes at room
temperature. This technique consists of heating silicon
dioxide (SiOj) with a flame (Siliflam, Heraeus-Kulzer,
Wehrheim, Germany) in a specially designed apparatus.
The flame should be adjusted to provide enough SiOj
molecular deposiflon on the metal surface, Siliflam is
applied for 5 minutes (air/propan 20:1, air approxi-
mately 130 L/hr, propan 6,5 L/hr), After the sample is
dried for 4 minutes in the air, a silane layer of a mixture
of Silicoup A and B [Heraeus-Kulzer) is applied.
Silicoater MD (SMD). This technique (metal dotted)
involves using a special oven to burn a chrome-en-
dowing silica layer onto the surface. The principle of
the system is that chromium, at temperatures higher
than 250°C, by a complex mecbanism, forms water-
proof bonds witb silicates.

Quintessence International 767

• Akiçii el al
Fig 1 Hexagonal metal matrix (6-rrm core diameter, 15-mm
length) ccntaining iioies.
Rocatec (RC). The principie is a tribochemical ap-
plication of a silica layer by means of sandblasting.
First, the surface is conditioned by sandblasting witb
110-pm aiuminum oxide grains at a pressure of 0.25
MPa with Rocatec Pre using a Rocatector Delta de-
vice. Then the samples are blasted with Rocatec Plus,
which is 110 um aluminum oxide modified with silicic
acid, using Rocatector Delta at 0.25 MPa at a distance
of 1 cm from the metal surface for 13 s/cm^. The theo-
retic velocity at which the Rocatec Plus particles hit
the alloy surface is 200 m/s, producing spot heating of
up to 1,OOO"C, which together with the blasting pres-
sure embeds silica particles into the metal surface. The
surface is then coated with silane to render the surface
even more chemically reactive to the resin.
Kevloc (KV). It is a system that offers a combina-
tion of chemical and mechanical bonding. In this sys-
tem, the surfaces of the alloys are sandhlasted with
fresh 110-pm grains of aluminum oxide. The tempera-
ture needed to activate the layers of the resin is gener-
ated hy contact heat transfer and heat radiation by an
activation chamber.
Siloc (SL), In this technique, the surface is sand-
blasted with 250-pm grains of aluminum oxide. This ac-
tivated surface is then coated with silane and a special
bonding agent. The specimen is later placed in a special
heat curing apparatus. The opaquer layer is then ap-
plied and light-cured with a xenostroboscopic unit.
Opaquer application
After conditioning the titanium posts, a light-cured
opaquer, which is a powder-liquid, was painted on the
titanium posts and polymerized accordingly.
Dentacolor Opaquer (Dent). The powder and liq-
uid were mixed (1:1) producing a thin consistency,
stirring for at least 30 seconds to achieve a homoge-
768
neous distribution of the pigments, A thin layer (color
#123) was applied with a brush and light cured for 90
seconds in the Dentacolor XS unit (Heraeus-Kulzer).
Second and third thin layers were separately applied
and cured until complete masking of the metal was
achieved.
To produce the samples in a standard form, a hexag-
onal metal matrix having holes with 6-mm diameters
was used (Fig 1). Subsequently, core materials were ho-
mogeneously interspended within the matrix and
cured, strictly following manufacturer's instructions.
The samples were tben subjected to 5,000 tbermocy-
cies at a temperature range between 5°C and 55°C and
a dwelling time of 30 seconds. An electronic rotational
torque device (Wear Werk Hermann Werner) was con-
nected to a compression test machine (Zwick 1445,
Zwick) for the measurement of maximum torsional
forces. The direcfion of the torsional forces was clock-
wise. Failure was established at the point at which the
specimen could not withstand an increase in load.
RESULTS
Nonparametric statistical analysis of Kruskal-Wallis
and Mann-Whitney U tests was undertaken to deter-
mine the probability values between three core materi-
als and five surface conditioning methods (SAS
System for Windows, Release 8.01).
The data obtained from the investigations compris-
ing the mean vaiues together with the standard devia-
tion are given in Tables 3 to 5.
DISCUSSION
The resistance of various hybrid resin composite core
materials against torsionai forces on differently condi-
tioned fitanium posts was evaluated in this study.
In order to withstand functional loads, the bond be-
tween the core material and the post must he strong
and durable. In recent years, tbe technology for bond-
ing resin to dental alloys has significantly improved.
Various commercial surface conditioning techniques,
claimed to provide a durable hond between the resin
and the metal substrate, are now available. All these
new systems involve substrate condifioning, which pro-
duce bifuncfionai molecules that adhere to the metal
surface via silane by means of a polymerizable double
bond. These molecules react with the methacrylate
groups contained in the monomers of the applied resin
composite in a radical polymerization process.'^-^'
In the present study, the ranking of surface-condi-
tioning methods concerning resistance of core materi-
als after thermocycling was more favorable with SL,
Volume 34, Number 10, 2003
 TABLE 3 Torque forces for Dentacolor-Adaptic
Uean force Standard Comparative significance (P)
Group (n = 10) (dNm) deviation Control SC SMD RC KV SL
Control 16.13 1.08 _
SC 20.76 4.25 —
SMD 22.17 2.89 ns —
RC 21.54 3.18 ns ns —
KV 16.18 1.53 ns ' " — —
SL 23.86 3.40 " ns ns ns " —
•P< .05.
" P < .01.
•••P< .001.

TABLE 4 Torque forces for Den taco lor-Coradent

Mean lorce Standard Comparative siqniticance (P)
Group {n = 10) (dNm) deviation Contrai SC SMD RC KV SL
Control 15.14 0.96 —
SC 21.12 3-64 _
SMD 19.08 3.35 •• ns —
RC 18.50 4.60 • ns ns —
—
SL 22.15 3.03 ••' ns ns ns '" —
•P<.05.
••P< .01.
—P<.001.
n5=Pa 05.

TABLE 5 Torque forces for Dentacolor-Ti-Core

Mean (orce Standard Comparative siqniticance (P)
Group (n = 10) (dNm) deviation Centrai SC SMD HC KV SL

Control 12.19 0.75 —

SC 19.55 4.53 —
SMD 19.70 3.72 ns —
RC 19.52 2.90 ns ns —
KV 12.90 1.43 ns —
SL 22.55 2.68 ns ns ' "• —
•P< .05
"Ps.QI.
*-P< .001.
ns = P > .05

SC, SMD, RC, and tbe least for KV. The advantages ci
extraoral surface conditioning have been demon-
strated previously.'' Except for the KV treatment, the
four surface conditioning tecbniques in this study sub-
stantially increased the attachment of the core materi-
als tested in comparison to the unconditioned control
groups.
Tbe low resistance of core materials in KV-treated
groups could be related to the mecbanism of tbis sys-
tem. Tbe working principle of Kevloc is exceptionally
only acrylization, while the others are based on silica
coating/silanization or silica coating/acrylization.
Kevloc-treated surfaces consist of a fused layer of rigid
acrylonitrile and a layer of water-resistant uretbane
resin elastic. Tbis layer is bighly cross linked and sus-
tains the loading forces, while being brittle. However,
tbe temperature needed to activate the bonding layers
of tbe resin is generated by contact beat transfer and
beat radiation by an activation cbamber. Tbe reason
for lower results migbt also be either the uneven distri-
bution of heat transfer or the lack of silane appli-
cation." In a study by Yojvodic et a F this difference
was attributed to differences in bonding layer thick-
ness, opaque viscosity, or opaque liquid proportion.
Tbe common finding of several studies was tbat tbe
bonding results decreased after artificial aging in KV

769
Quintessence International
application.'^'^ The individual mechanism producing
this result needs to be further clarified.
Due to the increasing number of core materials on
the market, it is difficult to choose the best one. The
type of resin composite material and surface condi-
tioning technique is especially important from a clini-
cal standpoint because the type/composition of cur-
rent composites introduced as restorative or prosthetic
material differ widely. In this study, three hybrid resin
composites were investigated, with the results reveal-
ing Ihat all of them are affected differently by the type
of conditioning method. The differences between AD,
TC, and CD might be not only due to their resin ma-
trix hut also to their particle size and filler composi-
tion. The filler content of composite materials may in-
fluence their mechanical properties. The resin matrix
of current prosthetic composites has been improved
through the use of multifunctional methacrylate
monomers with slight differences in their molecular
structure. Furthermore, the treatment of the filler par-
ticles at the surface is likely to vary according to the
material. Therefore, the results might be affected by
their respective microstructures.
In clinical practice, both the configuration of the
post and the type of core material are thought to affect
the core retention on the posts. In order to eliminate
the effect of post design, titanium posts with smooth
surfaces were used in the experiments.
Most in vitro studies have been performed to evalu-
ate the post and core designs subjected to tensile,
compressive, and shear forces and trauma. However,
clinically, posts also are subjected to torsional or rota-
tional forces produced by functional tooth con-
tacts.^^"^^ For this reason, an electronic rotational
torque device connected to a compression test ma-
chine was used for the measurement of maximum
torque forces required to produce failure. The testing
method in this experiment was intended to simuiate
clinical conditions in the oral environment.
Tbermo eye ling, though a necessary test for oral ap-
plications, is detrimental because it relaxes stresses
within the resin composites produced by polymeriza-
tion shrinkage. It also results in a rapid increase in the
amount of water ahsorbed into the resin composite at
higher temperatures causing hydrolysis of the silane.
Although the surface treatment studies conducted
have used different thermocychng times, the common
consensus is that thermocycling decreases the bond
strength as it weakens the resin structure.^*'-^'*
770
In clinical practice, the current surface conditioning
methods require additional equipment for condition-
ing the titanium posts before cementation, which is
costly. Recently, attempts have been made to move sil-
ica coating to chairside by means of a sandblaster.
This technique might he an ahernative approach to
conditioning the posts chairside,"^
Given the many factors affecting the resistance of
core materials on titanium and testing conditions, it is
necessary for dental clinicians to understand the char-
acteristics of surface conditioning methods in accor-
dance with the opaquers and core materials chosen.
More information about the chnical performance of
these increasingly popular techniques is needed.
Further evaluation with other core materials hke dual-
cured resin composites, compomers, and resin-modi-
fied glass ionomers is merited to maiie comparisons
with the data obtained from this in vitro study.
CONCLUSIONS
Within the limits of this study, the following conclu-
sions were drawn:
1. The ranking of surface conditioning methods con-
cerning resistance for hybrid resin composite core
materials on titanium posts against torsional forces
after thermocycling was most favorable for Siloc,
Silicoater Classical, Sihcoater MD, Rocatec, and
least favorable for Kevloc.
2. Surface conditioning systems based on sihca coat-
ing/silanization or silica coating/acrylization in-
creased the resistance of core materials to titanium
posts, while the system using only acrylization did
not improve the resistance in comparison to uncon-
ditioned posts.
3. Hybrid composites used as core materials demon-
strated tbe best results with Adaptic, followed by Ti-
Core and Coradent.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would tike to Lhank ESPE and Heraeiis-Kul^er in
Germany and Vivadenl in t^iechtenstein for their generous provision
and donation of the testing materials. The authors are also grateful to
Tero Vahlberg for his assistance with statistical analysis.
Volume 34, Number 10, 2003

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