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Figure 3. Summary of changes in the fluid movement of smear-layer-covered dentin before and after being bonded with total-etch vs. self-etch adhesives, with and without pulpal pressure. The fluid movement of smear-layer-covered dentin was not significantly different (p > 0.05) among all groups. After dentin was acid-etched with phosphoric acid, the fluid movement increased approximately 20-fold, due to the removal of the smear layer in the PBNT and SB groups. The water movement across self-etching adhesive bonds (APL or CPB) made under 0 cm H2O pulpal pressure was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of total-etch adhesives (PBNT or SB) 24 hrs after being bonded. Smear = smear-layer-covered dentin; Acid-etched = acid-etched dentin; Bonded 0 min = resin-/dentin-bonded specimens measured immediately after being bonded; Bonded 24 hrs = resin-/dentin-bonded specimens 24 hrs after being bonded. Values are means ± standard deviation. Groups that were significantly different are indicated by different lower-case letters (two-way ANOVA and Tukey’s multiple-comparison tests, p < 0.05, n = 10 for each group).
