The purpose of this in vitro study was to examine shear bond strengths of composite resin to metal-exposed porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) and all-ceramic restorations after silica coating or etching with 5% hydrofluoric acid (HF). Specimens were fabricated for each of the following groups: two all-ceramic materials [a feldspathic porcelain (Vita Mark II) and a leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic (IPS Empress)], and one noble metal-ceramic (Orplid Keramik I alloy; Vita VMK 68 N felspathic veneer ceramic). These groups were repaired with resin composites after different pretreatment methods. In one metal-ceramic subgroup the surface exhibited a 50% metal and 50% ceramic exposure. In the silica-coating groups, the specimen surfaces were air abraded with silica acid-modified Al2O3 (CoJet Sand) and treated corresponding to the porcelain repair with resin composite. For control groups, the surfaces were etched with 5% HF for 60 seconds and treated in the same way as the silica-coated groups. After 24 hours of storage (distilled water, 37 degrees C) and an additional 24 hours of thermocycling (1150 x 5 degrees C/55 degrees C) the specimens were debonded using a shear bond strength test (n = 15). In all groups the silica coat repair achieved equal or significantly higher bond strengths than did the etching technique (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney U test). In the metal-exposed group, the mean bond strength increased from 7.3 MPa to 16.3 MPa following the silica-coat repair. Results indicated that silica coating represents a suitable treatment for the intraoral repair of the materials tested in the present study.