Microleakage of four core materials under complete cast crowns

This study evaluated the microleakage patterns of complete cast-metal crowns cemented onto teeth that were rebuilt with pin-retained cores made from cast metal, composite resin, acrylic resin and amalgam by using four different cements. One hundred extracted human teeth were used to compare the microleakage of composite resin core, metal core, acrylic resin core and amalgam core, and regular crown preparations under a complete cast metal crown cemented with different cements as determined by 2% methylene blue dye solution. Specimens were compared with and without aging after cementation in a thermal bath by cycling some of them between 4 degrees C and 50 degrees C in a 2% methylene blue bath and others in a similar bath held at 37 degrees C. The extent of marginal microleakage was evaluated with a stereomicroscope and scored. It was determined through variance analysis that the type of core used in the substructure, the cement used for cementing and the thermocycling process were all important in microleakage. No significant differences in the degree of microleakage were found under crowns cemented onto teeth rebuilt with the four core materials when cemented with the same luting cement.