Bond Strength
A quantitative measure of the force per unit area required to separate a dental material from a substrate, typically expressed in megapascals (MPa).
Full Definition
Bond strength is the primary quantitative measure used in dental adhesion research to evaluate the effectiveness of bonding agents, resin cements, and adhesive systems. It is most commonly assessed by microtensile bond strength (μTBS) and shear bond strength (SBS) tests, each yielding values in MPa. Editors should be aware that μTBS and SBS are not directly comparable due to differences in test geometry and failure mode, and authors should not cross-compare them without justification. Bond strength values should always be accompanied by the substrate description (e.g., coronal dentine, enamel, root dentine) and the mode of failure (adhesive, cohesive, or mixed). The term 'bonding strength' is non-standard and should be corrected to 'bond strength.'
Usage
Usage note: 'Bonding strength' is non-standard; correct to 'bond strength.' Always ensure test mode (SBS or μTBS) and substrate are specified.
In Context
- "The self-etch adhesive yielded a mean microtensile bond strength of 38 MPa to coronal dentine under thermocycling conditions." — Adhesion research article
- "Authors must specify whether bond strength was measured in shear or microtensile mode, as the two are not directly comparable." — Peer-review editorial comment