Effect of Non-Thermal Atmospheric Plasma on Micro-Tensile Bond Strength at Adhesive/Dentin Interface: A Systematic Review

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This study is a review about the effect of non-thermal atmospheric plasma on the micro-tensile bond strength. The retrieval method of literature is interesting. But this paper has the following problems:

1. The table 3 should be table 2 in line 159. Please check the serial number of the charts and tables.
2. The conclusion is too simple and not close to the purpose “to evaluate the effect of non-thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP) on adhesives resin–dentin micro-tensile bond strength” of the review.
3. Perhaps it is also appropriate to add a few references to support the conclusion as a review.
4. It is suggested to add a schematic diagram, which shows the mechanism of action of NTAP.

Author Response

Response to reviewer 1

This study is a review about the effect of non-thermal atmospheric plasma on the micro-tensile bond strength. The retrieval method of literature is interesting. But this paper has the following problems:

Comment 1:

1. The table 3 should be table 2 in line 159. Please check the serial number of the charts and tables.

Response:

The authors thank the reviewers for the constructive comment. The serial number of tables and figures was revised. One figure (Figure 2) has been added as suggested.

Table 1; lines no. 117, 147, 156,

Table 2; lines no. 118, 150, 157

Table 3; lines no. 181, 183.

Figure 1; lines no. 146, 155,

Figure 2; lines no. 192, 229

Comment 2:

1. The conclusion is too simple and not close to the purpose “to evaluate the effect of non-thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP) on adhesives resin–dentin micro-tensile bond strength” of the

review.

Response:

The authors thank the reviewers for the constructive comment. More details were added to the conclusion part.

Within the limitations of this systematic review, NTAP application could enhance resin–dentin μTBS of ER adhesives or UAs applied in the ER mode. The NTAP effect could be a result of the enhancement in the quality of the hybrid layer formed [33, 37, 38, 43] and the inhibition of the MMPs enzymatic activity  [35]. In the ER mode, NTAP can be considered an effective drying method of acid-etched dentin, and the rewetting step after NTAP seems to be unnecessary. Because of the limited information currently available in the literature, further studies are required to evaluate the effect of the NTAP application on SE adhesives or UAs applied in the SE mode.

Comment 3:

1. Perhaps it is also appropriate to add a few references to support the conclusion as a review.

Response:

The authors thank the reviewers for the constructive suggestion. References were added to support the conclusion. (Please, kindly see response to comment 2)

Comment 4:

1. It is suggested to add a schematic diagram, which shows the mechanism of action of NTAP.

Response: The authors thank the reviewers for the constructive suggestion. A schematic diagram  (Figure 2) has been added to the manuscript, showing the effect of NTAP in ER mode.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The manuscript “Effect of Non-Thermal Atmospheric Plasma on Micro-tensile Bond Strength of Adhesive/Dentin Interface: A Systematic Review” presents a literature review on the effect of non-thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP) on adhesives resin–dentin micro-tensile bond strength.

In the manuscript, the question is original and well defined; the results are interpreted appropriately; all conclusions are justified and supported by the results; the article is written in an appropriate way; the data and analyses are presented appropriately; the review is correctly designed and technically sound; the methods are described with sufficient details to allow another researcher to reproduce the results; the conclusions are interesting for the readership of the Journal and the paper presumably will attract a wide readership; there is an overall benefit to publishing this work; the English language is appropriate and understandable.

The only comment that I would like to suggest to the authors is the following:

The abbreviations used in the abstract are not understandable because they are not cited in full previously. The abstract should be understandable even without the full article. Please check that all abbreviations present throughout the manuscript have been cited in full in the previous text.

For the reasons listed above, my final recommendation is to accept after minor revisions the manuscript.

Best regards

Author Response

Response to reviewer 2’ comments

The manuscript “Effect of Non-Thermal Atmospheric Plasma on Micro-tensile Bond Strength of Adhesive/Dentin Interface: A Systematic Review” presents a literature review on the effect of non-thermal atmospheric plasma (NTAP) on adhesives resin–dentin micro-tensile bond strength.

General comment:

In the manuscript, the question is original and well defined; the results are interpreted appropriately; all conclusions are justified and supported by the results; the article is written in an appropriate way; the data and analyses are presented appropriately; the review is correctly designed and technically sound; the methods are described with sufficient details to allow another researcher to reproduce the results; the conclusions are interesting for the readership of the Journal and the paper presumably will attract a wide readership; there is an overall benefit to publishing this work; the English language is appropriate and understandable.

For the reasons listed above, my final recommendation is to accept after minor revisions the manuscript.

Best regards

Response: The authors really appreciate the reviewer’s comment.

Comment 1:

The only comment that I would like to suggest to the authors is the following:

The abbreviations used in the abstract are not understandable because they are not cited in full previously. The abstract should be understandable even without the full article. Please check that all abbreviations present throughout the manuscript have been cited in full in the previous text.

Response:

The authors thank the reviewer for his constructive comment.The abbreviations used in the abstract (Micro-tensile Bond Strength (μTBS), line 20, 23, etch-and-rinse (ER), line 30, universal adhesives (UAs, line 32, and self-etch (SE), line 35) were revised. All the abbreviations present throughout the manuscript have been cited in full in the previous text.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf