Degradation in the dentin-composite interface subjected to multi-species biofilm challenges

The mechanical integrity of composite restorations challenged with multi-species oral biofilms was studied. While most studies used single-species biofilms, we used a more realistic, diverse biofilm model produced directly from plaques collected from donors with a history of early childhood caries. Biofilm growth with sucrose pulsing caused preferential degradation of the composite-dentin interface, with significant differences in bond strength reduction and failure modes depending on the composite/adhesive system used.