Microleakage of several class V anterior restorative materials: a laboratory study

The study was designed to evaluate the marginal leakage of abraded gingival areas in extracted teeth using five anterior composite resin acid-etch restorative materials and a glass ionomer cement, ASPA. In using three of the composite resin restorative materials, Simulate, Cervident, and Concise, there was a layer of unfilled resin between the etched tooth surface and the composite resin. Restodent and Enamelite were placed directly on the etched tooth surface. The results of the study indicate that there is a significantly greater degree of marginal leakage at the gingival margin than there is at the occlusal or incisal margin of composite restorations. In addition, greater marginal leakage was observed in those restorations where no layer of unfilled resin was placed between the etched tooth surface and the composite resin. The glass ionomer cement showed no marginal leakage at intervals of one day, three months, and six months; however, a small amount of leakage was observed at the incisal or occlusal and gingival margins at a year on half of the autoradiographs. A study has been initiated to determine leakage patterns around composite resin restorations placed in teeth with naturally occurring cervical erosion or abrasion.