Water content in experimental dentine primers to minimize the contraction gap width of a light-cured resin composite

Objectives: The effect of water content in experimental dentine primers consisting of an aqueous solution of either glyceryl methacrylate (GM) or hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and in experimental self-etching dentine primers composed of methacryloxyethyl hydrogen phenyl phosphate (Phenyl-P), was evaluated by measuring the wall-to-wall polymerization contraction gap width of a commercial light-activated resin composite filled in a cylindrical dentine cavity prepared in an extracted human molar. Methods: A commercial light-cured dentine bonding agent was applied to the cavity after cleaning with EDTA and priming with either GM or HEMA, or after self-etching priming by Phenyl-P diluted in either GM or HEMA solution. Results: In the GM and HEMA solutions, the gap width was minimized when the water content was 65 wt%, even though gap formation could not be prevented by HEMA solution. With the self-etching dentine primers, gaps could not be observed under the light microscope with 16 wt% Phenyl-P diluted in 35 wt% GM or HEMA or with 20 wt% Phenyl-P diluted in 20 wt% GM or HEMA. Conclusion: The water content in both the experimental dentine primers and the self-etching dentine primers which yielded the minimum contraction gap width for the resin composite in the dentine cavity was approximately 60 wt%.