Purpose: To evaluate the effect of a low-viscosity surface-penetrating
sealant on microleakage around Class V restorations. Materials and Me
thods: Box-shaped Class V preparations were made in the facial and lin
gual surfaces of 50 extracted human teeth. Occlusal margins were in en
amel and gingival margins were in dentin/cementum. Preparations were r
estored with the following systems (n = 20): Dentin Conditioner + Fuji
II LC; ProBond primer + VariGlass VLC; OptiBond + XRV Herculite; Scot
chbond Multi-Purpose + Silux Plus; and Scotchbond Multi-Purpose + Rest
orative Z100. Half of the restorations in each group were randomly sel
ected and sealed with Fortify resin immediately after finishing and po
lishing. Specimens were thermocycled 500x between 5 degrees and 55 deg
rees C and subjected to a silver nitrate microleakage test. Penetratio
n of the silver nitrate tracer was evaluated and recorded using a 0-4
ordinal scale. Data were analyzed using non-parametric statistical tes
ts. Results: All of the restorative systems had very little leakage at
enamel margins, regardless of whether the resin sealant was used. Eac
h of the systems except VariGlass had minimal leakage at unsealed dent
in margins also. Application of the resin sealant significantly reduce
d leakage at the interface between VariGlass and dentin or cementum, b
ut had no effect on the other restorative systems.