Prevention of in vitro secondary caries with an experimental fluoride-exchanging restorative resin.

We investigated the development of artificial caries lesions adjacent to experimental composite resins which release fluoride by ion exchange. Overall, compared with both a commercial, non-fluoride composite and a restorative silicate cement, the cavity walls and tooth surfaces immediately adjacent to the experimental resins developed fewer and/or smaller lesions. When lesions did develop, they did not penetrate as far along the cavity walls adjacent to the experimental materials. In general, the degree of protection imparted by the fluoride composites increased with increasing fluoride content. These results demonstrate the potential of these adhesive resins for restorative and other dental applications in which an extended fluoride presence would be of benefit.