INFLUÊNCIA DO MÉTODO DE CONTROLE DE UMIDADE DENTINÁRIA NA INTERFACE ADESIVA – AVALIAÇÃO CLÍNICA E LABORATORIAL

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the influence of the dentin moisture control method on the adhesive interface using a three-step adhesive system. Materials and Methods: A randomized, double-blind, split-mouth clinical trial was conducted with 10 participants, each receiving two Class I restorations in third molars. Moisture control was performed using either an air jet (OB-Air) or absorbent paper (OB- Blot) with a conventional three-step adhesive. The restorations were clinically evaluated according to the FDI criteria at 1 week and 6 months, and postoperative sensitivity was assessed at 24 hours, 7 and 15 days, and 6 months. After 6 months, the teeth were extracted for microtensile bond strength testing. Clinical data were expressed as frequency (n) and percentage (%), while bond strength was presented as mean and standard deviation. Data were analyzed for normality (Shapiro–Wilk) and homogeneity of variance (Levene), and groups were compared using Student’s t-test (α = 0.05). Results: Both groups showed clinical success according to the FDI criteria, with 100% success in the OB-Blot group and 88.9% in the OB-Air group. Postoperative sensitivity was low in both groups, with predominantly absent or mild discomfort up to 15 days. No statistically significant difference in bond strength was observed between the groups (p = 0.955). Conclusion: Both dentin moisture control techniques (air jet and absorbent paper) demonstrated similar performance in dentin adhesion and can be selected according to the clinician’s preference. Clinical Relevance: The two dentin-drying techniques exhibited equivalent clinical and adhesive performance, allowing clinicians to choose based on preference without compromising restorative quality.