[A study on the clinical effects of resin hybrid ceramic inlays in restoring posterior tooth defects]

To compare and evaluate the clinical effects of glass ceramics and resin hybrid ceramics for inlay restorations, thereby providing guidance for the selection of inlay restoration materials.

Forty patients with posterior tooth defects who underwent inlay restoration at the Department of Prosthodontics, Putuo District Eye and Tooth Disease Control and Prevention Hospital from January 2023 to February 2023 were selected and randomly divided into two groups, which were further categorized based on the material used: lithium disilicate glass-ceramic (e.max ceramic) in the control group, while resin-matrix composite ceramic (Enamic) in the experimental group. Follow-up visits were conducted at 6, 12 and 24 months post-restoration. The restoration effects were evaluated through intraoral examinations according to the modified United States Public Health Service(USPHS) criteria, and plaster models were made to observe the surface conditions of the restorations under scanning electron microscope (SEM).

In the Enamic group, 19 restorations achieved grade A in all indices, with a success rate of 95%; while in the e.max group, 15 restorations achieved grade A in all indices, with a success rate of 75%. There was no significant difference in the success rates between the two groups of inlays (P＞0.05).

The resin hybrid ceramic demonstrates excellent clinical restoration outcomes after two years, making it a favorable choice for inlay. However, further validation is still needed to compare the long-term clinical performance between VITA Enamic and IPS e.max.