Clinical performance of a self-etching and a total-etch adhesive system - 2-year results

The purpose of this controlled prospective clinical study was to compare the clinical performance of the self-etching adhesive system AdheSE and the established total-etch adhesive system Excite in classes I and II cavities for a period of 2 years. Fifty patients participated in this study. Each received two restorations, one with AdheSE, one with Excite by one calibrated, non-blinded operator. The resin composite used to restore the teeth was Tetric Ceram HB. One calibrated, blinded clinician re-evaluated the restorations at baseline, after 6, 12 and 24 months after placement using the modified Ryge criteria. For this, vitality, post-operative sensitivity, visible marginal irregularity, marginal discolouration, secondary caries, surface texture, anatomic form and filling defect were considered. After 2 years, 67 restorations were reviewed in 34 patients. None of the teeth showed signs of secondary caries. Two teeth, one of each group, had to receive endodontic treatment because of pulp inflammation. All other teeth remained vital. Slight marginal discolourations were observed in six AdheSE restorations and three Excite restorations. These restorations were scored as Beta. After 2 years, an overall clinical success rate, summing up all the Alpha and Beta scores, of 97% was found, viewing both adhesive systems together. Statistic analysis using log-rank test showed no statistic differences in the overall survival rate between the two materials tested within the observation period. It can be concluded that both adhesive systems tested demonstrated very good clinical performance in the restoration of classes I and II cavities at the end of 2 years.