Effect of surface-penetrating sealant on wear resistance of luting agents

The wear of composite resin is influenced by the presence of microcracks on its surface. Recently, it has been shown that surface-penetrating sealants are effective in reducing the wear of posterior composite resin by sealing these defects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of one of these sealants on the wear of various luting agents in conjunction with composite resin inlays. The specimens were subjected to a three-body wear test for 400,000 cycles. The wear values of both composite resin and luting agents were determined by profilometric tracings to the nearest 2 microns. There were no statistically significant differences between the treated and untreated groups as it related to the wear of the luting agents. The wear values of composite resin inlays treated with the sealant, however, were significantly lower than those without treatment, regardless of the type of luting agent used for cementation.