Objectives: To evaluate in vitro, the effect of 38% silver diamine fluoride (SDF) pretreatment on the microleakage and shear bond strength of resin-modified glass ionomer cement to primary dentin.
Materials and methods: A total of 80 extracted sound primary molars were included in this in-vitro study and randomly assigned into four equal groups (n=20 teeth/group) according to the evaluation test performed. For microleakage test, class V cavities were prepared on the buccal surface of forty teeth and randomly allocated into Group I (experimental)(n=20): Primary dentin pretreated with 38% SDFfor three minutes and Group II (control)(n=20): Primary dentin treated with distilled water for three minutes. Class V cavities were restored with RMGIC, thermocycled, immersed into 1% methylene blue solution for 24h, sectioned longitudinally in a bucco-lingual direction and then examined under stereomicroscope at 40x magnification. Also forty teeth were assigned for SBS test and randomly grouped into Group III (experimental) (n=20): Primary dentin flat surface pretreated with 38% SDF. Group IV (control) (n=20): Primary dentin flat surface pretreated with distilled water. Using a Universal Testing machine SBS were determines. Failure mode was evaluated using stereomicroscope. Data were collected and subjected to statistical analysis.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference in microleakage between experimental and the control group (P=0.21). However, the experimental group had significantly higher SBS than the control group. (P=0.0001)
Conclusion: Primary dentin pretreatment with 38% SDF does not influence the marginal seal of RMGIC to primary dentin. However, it raises the shear bond strength between them.