Dentin bonding — clinical protocol

Protocol

1. Isolation
   • Ideal: rubber dam
   • Avoid contamination
2. Cleaning
   • Pumice or brush
   • No fluoride-containing pastes
   • Time: ~10–15 s
3. Acid etching (if total-etch)
   • Phosphoric acid 35–37%
   • Time: 10–15 seconds
4. Rinse — 15 seconds
   • Abundant water
5. Drying
   • Do not desiccate
   • Dentin moist (matte appearance)
6. Adhesive — according to manufacturer instructions
   • Options:
     • Active application (scrubbing 10–20 s)
     • Passive application (no scrubbing)
     • One or multiple layers depending on system
     • Systems:
       • Primer + bonding
       • Universal adhesives
7. Air drying — minimum 10–15 s (ideally 15–30 s)
   • Gentle continuous air
   • Solvent evaporation

Evaluation:

• From:
  • very shiny / liquid-like
    to
  • thin, uniform, glossy film
• No:
  • pooling
  • accumulation
  • liquid movement

8. Light curing
   • According to manufacturer
   • Adequate time

Key points

• Dentin must not be overdried
• Bonding depends on infiltration + solvent evaporation
• Active application improves results

Common mistakes

• Overdrying dentin
• Not scrubbing adhesive
• Insufficient air drying
• Residual solvent

Expected result

• Proper hybrid layer
• Dentin sealing
• Reduced postoperative sensitivity