Initial bond strengths on resin-metal bonding for intra-oral applications are quite good, however bond strengths decrease with time and fail in wet environments and or thermocycling. Little is understood about the basic chemical nature of this adhesive system. It is hypothesized that 1) resin-metal bonding exists due to surface wetting and bonding via co- monomer additions to the resin matrix, and 2) that degradation of resin- metal bonds with time in water is a result of acid-base driven reactions at the interphase causing a degradation in the metal surface oxide. The proposed research will illucidate the existing chemical bonding existing at the resin-metal interface, or more appropriate interphase through various surface analytical techniques, some well established and some new. The long term goal will be to accurately predict the behavior of proposed adhesive systems, as well as the ability to custom design adhesives and adhesive systems. The application for this will be superior intraoral tooth-metal bonding applicable to orthodontic brackets and auxiliaries, intracoronal restorations, crowns, bridges, splint, as well as other biomechanical applications including prosthetic joint replacements.
