Adhesives are materials widely used in restorative dentistry procedures that have evolved greatly in recent years; their main function is to attach the previously etched dental structure to the restorative material in order to create a strong and lasting micromechanical union; their composition and the complex chemical reactions that cause the bonding phenomenon influence their biological behavior. The degree of cellular response to exposure of bonding agents varies from mild to severe depending on many factors such as the chemical composition of the adhesive, type of test used, a cell line exposed to the material, presence of bacteria in the tooth-restoration interphase and especially the tissue thickness remnant, as the dentin is an effective natural barrier that prevents the passage of harmful agents into the pulp tissue. The purpose of this review article is to introduce the dental circle, the latest advances in the field of cytotoxicity of dentin adhesives. This bibliographic guide seeks to encourage new research in the area of biocompatibility of dental materials, mainly because clinicians use them daily on biological substrates, and they can potentially cause harmful effects locally or systemically. For the organization of the literature it was necessary to select two main themes: dentin bonding and biocompatibility, to further emphasize recent works published on cytotoxicity of adhesives. The information was obtained mainly from databases such as ScienceDirect, Wiley Interscience, SpringerLink and from indexed sources both national and international. Key words: Dental adhesives, Restorative material, Citotoxicity, Biocompatibility. Rev.CES Odont.2010;23(2)79-90