Use of adhesive systems in dentistry: past and present

In recent decades, in the sphere of minimally invasive approach to preparing hard dental tissues, adhesive dentistry has made significant progress, revolutionizing many aspects of restorative dentistry. The attitude towards cavity preparation has changed due to adhesive systems as there is no necessary to prepare cavities with additional retention points to ensure mechanical adhesion with the filling material. Thus, the introduction of adhesive systems contributes to the preservation of more non-demineralized enamel and dentin in the preparation of hard dental tissues in accordance with the principle of "biological expediency". To achieve a better connection with the hard tissues of the tooth, a number of adhesive systems has been developed. The complexity of achieving a better connection is due to the heterogeneity of the structure and composition of the hard dental tissues, the hydrophilicity of the exposed dentin surface, smear layer formed during the preparation of the cavity and the characteristics of the adhesive system, such as its physical and chemical properties and the way it interacts with enamel and dentin. With the development of technologies, adhesive systems have evolved from systems that do not involve the etching of hard dental tissues to systems with preliminary total etching and self-etching adhesive systems.