Evolution and Clinical Performance of Different Dentin Adhesives in Composite Resin Restorations: An Integrative Review

Introduction: Currently, restorative dentistry has been moving toward minimally invasive approaches. Significant advances in materials and adhesive systems have occurred, for which there is still a need to integrate this information. Objective: To summarize the scientific evidence regarding the different types of adhesive systems, emphasizing their evolution and clinical performance. Methods: This integrative review study used the Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS/MeSH) “Dental Cements,” “Adhesives,” “Dentin,” “Composite Resins,” “Dental Materials,” “Longevity,” and “Tensile Strength,” adapted for the databases PubMed/MEDLINE, SciVerse Scopus, Web of Science, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), and grey literature (Google Scholar), aiming to select clinical trials without a time restriction on publication. Results: Of the 431 studies identified, 22 were included in the final sample. Most focused on evaluating adhesive systems applied in composite resin restorations in non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs), totaling 19 investigations. A smaller number of studies evaluated adhesive systems in restorations classified as I to III or in unspecified cavities. The publication period ranged from 2001 to 2025, with the highest concentration of studies in 2020. The clinical samples showed wide variation, ranging from 90 to 234 NCCLs, with participants distributed into two to five experimental groups. Regarding adhesive systems, there was a predominance of the use of eighth-generation universal adhesives, especially Scotchbond Universal/Single Bond Universal, which were the most frequently investigated. Conclusion : The appropriate choice of the adhesive system, combined with the correct execution of the technique, is decisive for the clinical quality of composite resin restorations.