Abstract

This study evaluated the water sorption, solubility and kinetics of water diffusion in commercial and experimental resins that are formulated to be used as dentin and enamel bonding agents. Four commercial adhesives were selected along with their solvent–monomer combination: the bonding resins were of Adper Scotchbond Multi-Purpose (MP) and Clearfil SE Bond (SE) systems, and the “one-bottle” systems, Adper Single Bond (SB) and Excite (EX). Five experimental methacrylate-based resins of known hydrophilicities (R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5) were used as reference materials. Specimen disks were prepared by dispensing the uncured resin into a mould (5.8 mm × 0.8 mm). After desiccation, the cured specimens were weighed and then stored in distilled water for evaluation of the water diffusion kinetics over a 28-day period. Resin composition and hydrophilicity (ranked by their Hoy's solubility parameters) influenced water sorption, solubility and water diffusion in both commercial and experimental dental resins. The most hydrophilic experimental resin, R5, showed the highest water sorption, solubility and water diffusion coefficient. Among the commercial adhesives, the solvated systems, SB and EX, showed water sorption, solubility and water diffusion coefficients significantly greater than those observed for the non-solvated systems, MP and SE (p < 0.05). In general, the extent and rate of water sorption increased with the hydrophilicity of the resin blends. The extensive amount of water sorption in the current hydrophilic dental resins is a cause of concern. This may affect the mechanical stability of these resins and favor the rapid and catastrophic degradation of resin–dentin bonds.