The impact of various surface treatments and Er-YAG laser irradiation on the bond strength of resin matrix CAD/CAM ceramics to resin cement

Purpose The aim of the study was to assess the impact of various surface treatments, including an Er: YAG laser with different power outputs, on the shear bond strength (SBS) of different resin matrix CAD/CAM ceramic materials to resin luting cement. Materials and methods Specimens from Lava Ultimate (LU) and Vita Enamic (VE) were categorized based on the surface treatment: no treatment, sandblasting (Sb), 10% hydrofluoric acid (Ac) etching, sandblasting followed by acid etching (Sb + Ac), and Er: YAG laser irradiation at 2 W and 3 W (L1, L2). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) evaluation and roughness measurement of the samples were performed. Silane was applied to half of the specimens, resin cement was bonded and SBS testing was performed. Results The SBS did not differ depending on the material (P = 0.081), but varied according to the surface treatment (P < 0.001). The highest mean SBS value was observed in the Sb + Ac (15.20) group. The highest roughness median was in Sb of VE, which was similar to Sb + Ac and Sb of all materials. Conclusion Applying Sb and Ac together was more effective than applying them separately. Although 2 W and 3 W Er-YAG applications were ineffective for treating VE's surface, 2 W Er-YAG applications can be suggested for LU.