RESUMEN
Background: The bond strength between tooth structure and restorative materials is critical for the long-term success of dental restorations. This study sought to determine how the shear bond strength (SBS) and type of bond breakdown were affected by the inclusion of sandblasting (SB) as a conditioning step before acid etching (AE). Materials and Methods: A total of 40 extracted human molars were split into two groups at random: intervention (SB followed by AE) and control (AE only). Composite resin cylinders were constructed on the tooth surface following the application of the bonding agent. A universal testing device was used to determine the SBS, and scanning electron microscopy was used to assess the kind of bond failure. Results: In comparison to the control group, the intervention group displayed a significantly higher SBS (P < 0.05). In contrast to the control group, which showed more adhesive failure at the tooth-resin interface, the intervention group also demonstrated a larger percentage of cohesive failure within the composite resin. Conclusion: As an extra conditioning step, AE after SB considerably increased the SBS between tooth structure and composite resin. The fact that the intervention group experienced a higher percentage of cohesive failure shows that this technique could boost the bond's longevity.