Zirconia is a promising metal-free framework material that can be used to construct all-ceramic resin-bonded restorations in modern minimally invasive dentistry. The lack of a durable bond to zirconia is the major limitation against its widespread use. A technique to promote adhesion to the zirconia surface has thus been actively sought in dental materials research. Selective infiltration etching (SIE) has emerged as a method of conditioning that creates a highly retentive zirconia surface. This in vitro pilot study tested a novel adhesion procedure in which two newly engineered silane-based zirconia primers were combined with the SIE method. Zirconia discs were SIE-surface-treated, coated with one of the 2 zirconia primers, and bonded to composite resin discs. Primer activation (hydrolysis) was monitored by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The bilayered specimens were sectioned into microbars and subjected to the microtensile bond strength test. As-sintered zirconia discs served as controls. Surface analysis of zirconia specimens was carried out using photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Zirconia specimens that had been treated with both SIE and primers had a significantly higher (ANOVA) zirconia resin bond strength (40.6 MPa, SD 5.8 MPa) than control specimens (2.6 MPa, SD 3.0 MPa; p < 0.05, F = 13.8, ANOVA). Controls also exhibited spontaneous failure during sectioning. Additionally, the interfacial failure rate was lower for the specimens subjected to the new combined surface treatment than for controls. The novel combined method of surface treatment method might open new opportunities for enhanced adhesion of resin-bonded zirconia restorations. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2011