Bonding of a cobalt-chromium alloy with acidic primers and tri-n-butylborane-initiated luting agents.

Limited information is available about chemical bonding of cobalt-chromium alloys for resin-retained fixed partial dentures. This study evaluated the effect of acidic primers on the bonding of luting agents joined to a cobalt-chromium alloy. Disk alloy specimens were bonded with eight combinations of five primers and two luting agents. Shear bond strengths were determined before and after thermocycling. The effect of priming on bond strength varied among the combinations of primer and luting agent. In particular, after thermocycling three groups demonstrated greater bond strengths than the other groups did. These were (1) specimens treated with a phosphate-methacrylate primer (Cesead Opaque Primer), (2) specimens bonded with an adhesive resin (Super-Bond Opaque), or (3) a combination of both.