Effect of a surface sealant on microleakage of Class V restorations.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of a low-viscosity surface-penetrating sealant on microleakage around Class V restorations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Box-shaped Class V preparations were made in the facial and lingual surfaces of 50 extracted human teeth. Occlusal margins were in enamel and gingival margins were in dentin/cementum. Preparations were restored with the following systems (n = 20): Dentin Conditioner + Fuji II LC; ProBond primer + VariGlass VLC; OptiBond + XRV Herculite; Scotchbond Multi-Purpose + Silux Plus; and Scotchbond Multi-Purpose + Restorative Z100. Half of the restorations in each group were randomly selected and sealed with Fortify resin immediately after finishing and polishing. Specimens were thermocycled 500x between 5 degrees and 55 degrees C and subjected to a silver nitrate microleakage test. Penetration of the silver nitrate tracer was evaluated and recorded using a 0-4 ordinal scale. Data were analyzed using non-parametric statistical tests.

RESULTS

All of the restorative systems had very little leakage at enamel margins, regardless of whether the resin sealant was used. Each of the systems except VariGlass had minimal leakage at unsealed dentin margins also. Application of the resin sealant significantly reduced leakage at the interface between VariGlass and dentin or cementum, but had no effect on the other restorative systems.