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Dental Adhesive Function — NDEB AFK MCQ

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ModerateDental MaterialsDental Adhesive FunctionNDEB AFK

What is the primary function of an adhesive bonding agent in composite resin restorations?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: CTo provide a micromechanical and chemical bond between the composite and tooth structure

Dental adhesive bonding agents create a bond between composite resin and tooth structure through micromechanical interlocking (resin tags in enamel; hybrid layer in dentin) and chemical interaction (ionic bonding with hydroxyapatite in some self-etch systems). The adhesive infiltrates the demineralised collagen network of acid-etched dentin to form the hybrid layer, which is the foundation of the dentin bond. The adhesive also acts as a coupling agent between hydrophilic dentin and hydrophobic resin composite.

Reference: Heymann – Sturdevant's Art and Science of Operative Dentistry, 7th ed., 2019