Comparative evaluation of the bond strength of self-adhering and bulk-fill flowable composites to MTA Plus, Dycal, Biodentine, and TheraCal: an in vitro study

Objectives This study aimed to compare the shear bond strength (SBS) of a self-adhering flowable composite (Dyad Flow) and a bulk-fill flowable composite (Smart Dentin Replacement [SDR]) to several pulp-capping materials, including MTA Plus, Dycal, Biodentine, and TheraCal. Materials and Methods Eighty acrylic blocks with 2-mm-deep central holes that were 4 mm in diameter were prepared and divided into 2 groups (n = 40 each) according to the composite used (Dyad Flow or SDR). They were further divided into 4 sub-groups (n = 10 each) according to the pulp-capping agent used. SBS was tested using a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. Data were analyzed using 2-way analysis of variance. A p value of < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Results A statistically significant difference (p = 0.040) was found between Dyad Flow and SDR in terms of bond strength to MTA Plus, Dycal, Biodentine, and TheraCal. Conclusions Among the 8 sub-groups, the combination of TheraCal and SDR exhibited the highest SBS.