Tensile and shear bond strengths between prepared surfaces of coronal dentine and cores of composite materials using different bonding systems were determined. Control procedures demonstrated that tensile bond strengths were approximately doubled by the use of bonding agents in systems requiring initial cleansing or etching of dentine. Similar increases were found in shear bond strengths. When bonding to different depths of dentine was compared shear and tensile bond strengths to the more occlusal dentine were greater than to more pulpally placed dentine. The factors which appear to affect bond strength under laboratory conditions are: etching of dentine (but beware of this procedure clinically); the smear layer and its removal; polymerization shrinkage of composite materials; the depth and plane of bonded dentine; the use of fresh or stored dentine; and the structure of the treated dentine.