## 4 Discussion  
The confirmation of the first hypothesis occurred with the determination of higher binding values in sound dentin compared to eroded dentin. The second hypothesis was formulated based on the assumption that a-tomatine would be as effective as chlorhexidine in terms of bond strength. The obtained uTBS values and the results of docking analyses confirmed this hypothesis and demonstrated that a-tomatine is more effective than chlorhexidine. Owing to various types of acids that are cost-effective, user-friendly, and can be repeatedly employed, it becomes plausible to artificially induce erosive zones in dental hard tissues [21; 43; 44; 45]. In scientific investigations, hydrochloric acid is utilized to replicate internal dental erosion, while citric acid predominantly emulates external erosion pro \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline  & **MMP-2** & **MMP-8** & **MMP-9** \\ \hline a-Tomatine & \(-9.358\) & \(-9.663\) & \(-7.996\) \\ \hline Chlorhexidine & \(-7.673\) & \(-7.132\) & \(-5.102\) \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 6: Molecular docking scores of a-tomatin and chlorhexidine molecules with MMP-2, MMP-8, and MMP-9 enzymes in kcal/mol. cesses [46]. Diverse parameters encompassing acid solution concentration, pH, solution composition, and the duration of acid activity hold the potential to influence the corrosive capacity of acids, consequently yielding histological distinctions in dentin [45; 47; 48]. Despite the utilization of carbonated beverages such as cola to induce erosive conditions in recent times, these tissues exhibit a restricted erosive impact due to the presence of calcium, phosphate, and fluoride components [49; 50; 45]. Furthermore, citric acid emerges as another surrogate that effectively imitates the acidic nature of fruits and a vegetarian diet, serving to fabricate simulated erosive zones on non-reparative dentin surfaces. Prolonged processes of demineralization and remineralization lead to the accumulation of more denatured irregular fibrils and foster profound demineralization. However, the adhesive resin's inability to adequately permeate dentin leads to compromised bond strength. In a meticulous inquiry appraising the efficacy of carbonated beverages and citric acid in tissue via the infiltration-demineralization interface, heightened nanoleakage was observed subsequent to a citric acid application compared to carbonated beverages. This underscores the potential for compromised bond strength due to insufficient adhesive resin penetration, as further evidenced by a higher nanoleakage incidence in the study employing citric acid vis-a-vis carbonated beverages [51]. To forestall the deterioration of the hybrid layer established in restorations crafted from sound, eroded [8; 21; 52; 53; 54; 55; 56], or remineralized dentin tissue [57], as per the existing literature, investigators proposed an extended primer application [56], the utilization of crosslinkers [52], or MMP enzyme suppressive agents such as chlorhexidine [53; 54; 55; 56], along with preparatory techniques including NaCl [8; 56], diamond bur [21; 56], air abrasion, pumice stone, and silicone polishing rubber [21] prior to acid application. It has been suggested that these approaches can mitigate the time-dependent reduction in bond strength. Chlorhexidine, which can be employed at even extremely low concentrations such as 0.002%, 0.02%, 0.2% [58; 59], or 0.004% [55], may potentially be restrained by calcium ions. An elevated level of chlorhexidine within the tissue could influence the bonding strength to dentin [60; 61]. Research has revealed that, with an escalation of chlorhexidine concentration from 2% to 4%, detrimental effects on microdensile bond strength emerge [58; 62]. Since the literature's reports indicate that a 2% chlorhexidine application curbs degradation in the hybrid layer and yields more favorable long-term bond strength outcomes than other percentages [4; 58; 63; 54], the utilization of chlorhexidine to enhance bond strength remains a contentious topic.