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Figure 1. Optical micrographs illustrating the phenomenon of osmotic blistering in enamel. (A,B) Optical microscopy photographs illustrating the phenomenon of osmotic blistering in enamel bonded with one-step self-etch adhesives such as (A) Adper Prompt and (B) iBond. Water blisters (pointers) are present between the adhesive and enamel (E) after the bonded specimen was immersed in water for 30 min. No water blisters can be observed in the bonded dentin (D). (C,D) A series of photographs taken from specimens bonded with One-Up Bond F, showing the effect of reversal of the osmotic gradient on existing water blisters. (C) Water blisters that were formed in enamel (pointer) but not dentin after immersion in distilled water for 30 min. (D) The same specimen after re-immersion in the CaCl2 solution for 10 min. Collapse of the blisters occurred due to the withdrawal of water from the blisters into the external salt solution.
