Effect of microleakage and fluoride on enamel-dentine demineralization around restorations

There is no consensus about an association between microleakage and secondary caries, especially considering the presence of fluoride (F) at the tooth/restoration interface. Thus, a randomized, double-blind, crossover study was carried out to evaluate in situ the effect of microleakage on caries around enamel-dentine restorations in the presence of F from dental materials or dentifrice, either alone or in combination. In 4 phases of 14 days each, 14 volunteers wore palatal devices containing dental slabs restored with composite resin (CR) or resin-modified glass ionomer cement (GI). Restorations were made without leakage (L-), following the recommended adhesive procedures, or with leakage (L+), in the absence of adhesive procedures. Plaque-like biofilm (PLB) was left to accumulate on the restored slabs, which were exposed extraorally to a 20% sucrose solution 10x/day. The volunteers used a non-F (NF) or an F (FD) dentifrice 3x/day, depending on the experimental phase. No differences were found between L+ or L- restorations (p > 0.05). Higher demineralization in both enamel and dentine around CR restorations was observed under NF (p < 0.05). F concentration was higher in the fluid of PLB exposed to FD or formed onto GI restoration (p < 0.05). These results suggest that while microleakage does not affect caries development, GI or FD may maintain increased F levels in the PLB, thereby decreasing caries progression.