Novel testing method to evaluate the mechanical strength of self-adhesive resin cements with reflection of cement thickness

This study aimed to propose an evaluation method for testing the mechanical strength of film-formed self-adhesive resin cements (SARCs) while reflecting cement layer thickness. Three commercially available dual-cure type SARCs were used for tensile and shear tests using specimens with varying thicknesses (0.05, 0.2, and 0.4 mm). There were no significant differences in tensile strengths among the various specimen thicknesses. In the shear test, there was a significant decrease in the strength with a reduction in specimen thickness. Stress distribution and fracture patterns were analyzed using in silico nonlinear dynamic finite element analysis. Finite element analysis demonstrated that stress distribution on the specimen surface was homogeneous even with different thicknesses in the tensile test, whereas it was inhomogeneous and induced different fracture patterns on the 0.05-mm-thick specimen in the shear test. These results suggest that the tensile test is useful for testing the mechanical strength of film-formed SARCs.