Measurement of dentin permeability and wetness by use of the periotron device

The ability of the Periotron device to measure changes in dentin permeability and wetness was evaluated by use of extracted human teeth in vitro. Pulpal pressures were varied from zero to 40 cm H₂O for simulation of different pulpal tissue pressures. Non-physiologic pulpal pressures of 703 cm H₂O were used for comparison of dentin permeability measurements made with the Periotron device with those made using micropipettes. Measurements made with the Periotron device correlated well with methods used previously for measurement of dentin permeability. The shear bond strength of Scotchbond 2/Silux was measured 24 h after being bonded to dentin held at zero pulpal pressure. There was an inverse correlation between the shear bond strengths of Scotchbond 2/Silux and Periotron values, suggesting that increased wetness decreases the bond strength of that system. The Periotron device offers a new, simple, convenient measure of dentin surface wetness which may be useful in dentin bonding studies.