AN IN-VITRO MICROLEAKAGE STUDY OF 3 RESTORATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR CLASS-II RESTORATIONS IN POSTERIOR TEETH

Microleakage associated with a silver reinforced restorative glass ion omer cement used alone and also as a laminate restoration with a compo site resin and dentine adhesive in extracted premolar and molar teeth was evaluated. The influence of artificial saliva, thermal and load cy cling was also determined. The composite and dentine adhesive alone we re used for comparative purposes. The results showed that the composit e resin/dentine adhesive restorations showed substantial microleakage at both the cervical and occlusal margins of the Class II restorations , whereas the glass ionomer alone showed little or no leakage after st orage in water for seven days at 37 degrees C. These results were conf irmed when the restorations were thermo-cycled and load stressed. The addition of glass ionomer as a base to the composite forming the lamin ate restoration reduced the leakage substantially and in certain condi tions the leakage was less than that observed with glass ionomer resto ratives alone. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Limited