Keynote Address: Variables Related to the Clinical Situation for Adhesion and Treatment of the Substrate

Substrate-related factors play a major role in dentin bonding: storage conditions and storage time, bovine vs. human dentin, remaining dentin thickness, presence of caries-affected dentin, sclerotic dentin in non-carious cervical lesions, transparent dentin under caries lesions, compositional and morphological changes caused by aging of the substrate, treatment prior to bonding, preservation of the integrity of collagen fibers, inhibition of the activity of proteolytic enzymes, and residual water in the bonding interface, among others. This presentation will review the literature regarding the substrate variables involved in bond testing.