[In vitro study of marginal microleakage in dental caries treated with Er:YAG laser and restored with esthetic...

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate marginal microleakage in class V preparations submitted to treatment with Er:YAG laser and restored with aesthetic materials. Sixty human molars were selected and class V cavities were prepared on the buccal and lingual aspects of their cervical thirds. The restorative technique followed the instructions of the manufacturers. The samples were divided in 3 groups of 20 teeth each: Group 1--control; Group 2--Er:YAG laser was applied on the enamel margin before the restoration was placed; Group 3--a thin layer of calcium hydroxide was applied on the axial wall before the restoration was placed. Each group was divided in 4 sub-groups and the teeth were restored with different aesthetic materials. All samples were submitted to thermocycling and stained with 50% silver nitrate. Based on the obtained results, we could conclude that there are statistically significant differences between the 12 experimental conditions tested. The samples which presented the greatest microleakage were those treated with Er:YAG laser and restored with light-cured glass ionomer cement, followed by those that received Er:YAG laser and the sandwich technique, the cavities restored with light-cured glass ionomer cement and those restored by means of the sandwich technique, in this order.