AN IN-VIVO RECORDING OF VARIATIONS IN ORAL-TEMPERATURE DURING MEALS -A PILOT-STUDY

Thermocycling is often used in the in vitro evaluation of marginal lea kage of dental restorations. The in vivo temperatures occurring during meals were recorded at different surfaces of restored teeth, to compa re the variations in temperature with laboratory thermocycling. Temper atures were recorded with thermocouples at three different sites: (1) on the facial surface of a silver amalgam restoration, (2) at the base of a silver amalgam restoration and (3) within the root canal. The ma ximal temperature differences between upper and lower extremes were 29 .6 degrees C at the base of a coronal restoration, 27.1 degrees C at t he facial surface, and 11.8 degrees C within the root canal. A practic al regimen for these experiments is suggested in the Light of these ra nges because many thermocycling regimens in in vitro studies appear ex treme or unrealistic.