Light-curable dentin and enamel adhesive

A visible light cure dentin and enamel primer composition, comprising:

• (a) as a first component, phosphorous-containing free-radically polymerizable monomer suitable for use in the oral environment;
• (b) as a second component, sulfur compound having sulfur in the .sup.+2 or .sup.+4 oxidation state, said second component acting as a polymerization activator for said first component and enhancing adhesion of said composition to dentin;
• and
• (c) as a third component, photoinitiator selected from substituted and unsubstituted alkylphenones, substituted and unsubstituted benzilidene acetophenones, and compounds of the formula:
• ##STR2## wherein:
• X is nothing, a carbon-carbon bond, CR.sub.2, C.dbd..sup.1, C.dbd.O, S, SO, SO.sub.2, O, or NR where each R is independently H or a lower alkyl or substituted alkyl group and R.sup.1 is a tetravalent unsaturated aliphatic radical doubly bonded to said C of C.dbd.R.sup.1 and bonded to the 4 or 5 position of said Formula I to form a fused ring structure;
• Y and Z are independently lower alkyl, substituted alkyl, a divalent unsaturated radical bonded to adjacent positions of said Formula I to form a fused ring structure, alkoxy, halogen, or nitro;
• and
• m and n are independently zero to 4.