With some combinations of materials, using a self-etch adhesive will prevent the chemical set of a dual- or chemical-cure material overlying it. A clinical example would be using a self-etch universal adhesive on a prepared tooth that is light-cured and then covered by dual-cure core material that is allowed to chemically-cure. The incompatibility could cause a debond between the tooth and the core material. To prevent this situation, a dual-cure activator could be mixed with the universal adhesive before being applied to the tooth. Dual-cure activators contain salts (i.e., arylsulfinate salts), which when mixed with a self-etching adhesive, make the adhesive compatible with self- and dual-cure core materials or cements. A dual-cure activator does not make the adhesive itself capable of a chemical-cure.
