For cementation of
yttrium-stabilized tetragonal
zirconium polycrystal (
Y-TZP) ceramic frameworks, protocols of surface-conditioning methods and available cements vary, resulting in
confusion among clinicians regarding selection and effects of different conditioning methods on cement adhesion. This study evaluated the effect of two
silanes (3-trimethoxysilylpropylmethacrylate (MPS) and 3-trimethoxysilylpropylmethacrylate/4-methacryloyloxyethyl trimellitate
anhydride methyl
methacrylate (MPS/4-META) on the adhesion of two resin-based cements (SuperBond and
Panavia F 2.0) to
Y-TZP ceramic and compared several protocols with those indicated by the manufacturer of each of these cements. Disks of
Y-TZP ceramic (LAVA, 3M ESPE) (n = 60) were divided into six experimental groups (n = 10 per group) and treated as follows: (1)
silica coating (SC) + MPS
silane + SuperBond; (2) SC + MPS/4-META +
silane + SuperBond); (3) SC + MPS
silane +
Panavia F 2.0); (4) SC + MPS/4-META
silane +
Panavia F 2.0); (5) no conditioning + MPS/4-META
silane +
Super-Bond (SuperBond instructions); and (6) 50-μm Al(2)O(3) conditioning +
Panavia F 2.0 (
Panavia F 2.0 instructions). The specimens were subjected to shear-bond testing after water storage at 37 °C for 3 months in the dark. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance and Tukey's HSD (α = 0.05). After
silica coating, the mean bond strength of SuperBond cement was not significantly different between MPS and MPS/4-META
silanes (20.2 ± 3.7 and 20.9 ± 1.6 MPa, respectively), but the mean bond strength of
Panavia F 2.0 was significantly higher with MPS
silane (24.4 ± 5.3 MPa) than with MPS/4-META (12.3 ± 1.4 MPa) (P < 0.001). The SuperBond manufacturer's instructions alone resulted in significantly higher bond strength (9.7 ± 3.1 MPa) than the
Panavia F 2.0 manufacturer's instruction (0 MPa) (P < 0.001). When
silica coating and silanization were used, both SuperBond and
Panavia F 2.0 cements demonstrated higher bond strengths they did when the manufacturers' instructions were followed. With SuperBond, use of MPS or MPS/4-META
silane resulted in no significant difference when the ceramic surface was
silica coated, but with
Panavia F 2.0, use of MPS
silane resulted in a significantly higher bond strength than use of MPS/4-META. Use of chairside
silica coating and silanization to condition the
zirconia surface improved adhesion compared with the manufacturers' cementation protocols for SuperBond and
Panavia F 2.0 resin cements.