Microleakage of Class V resin-based composite restorations using five simplified adhesive systems

Area of Science:

• Restorative Dentistry
• Dental Materials Science
• Adhesive Dentistry

Background:

• Microleakage remains a challenge in resin-based composite (RBC) restorations, potentially leading to secondary caries and pulpal issues.
• Evaluating the performance of simplified adhesive systems is crucial for improving clinical outcomes.
• Understanding marginal integrity is key to long-term restoration success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess and compare the degree of microleakage at enamel and dentin margins of Class V RBC restorations.
• To evaluate five simplified adhesive systems, including one self-etching and four one-bottle systems.
• To determine the efficacy of these adhesives in preventing marginal gap formation.

Main Methods:

• Class V cavities were prepared in human molars with occlusal (enamel) and gingival (dentin/cementum) margins.
• Five adhesive systems (Etch & Prime 3.0, Single Bond, PQ1, Prime & Bond NT, Experimental BEH) were applied according to manufacturer instructions.
• Restorations were subjected to thermal cycling, followed by silver nitrate immersion and evaluation of microleakage on a 0-4 scale.

Main Results:

• The self-etching adhesive Etch & Prime 3.0 exhibited significantly higher microleakage scores on enamel margins compared to all other systems (P < 0.001).
• No tested adhesive system completely eliminated microleakage at dentin margins.
• PQ1 demonstrated significantly lower leakage scores at dentin margins compared to Etch & Prime 3.0 and Single Bond (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Simplified adhesive systems show varying performance in preventing microleakage in Class V RBC restorations.
• The self-etching system Etch & Prime 3.0 performed poorly on enamel margins.
• PQ1 demonstrated promising results for dentin margins, though further investigation is warranted.