EFFECT OF SURFACE-PENETRATING SEALANT ON COMPOSITE WEAR

The wear resistance of posterior composites has improved dramatically over the last several years. Compared to the original formulations, ma ny of the currently available composites exhibit wear rates of less th an 10% of their early predecessors. Nevertheless, much research has be en directed toward improving this property to a higher level. This inv estigation deals with a surface-penetrating sealant designed to increa se the wear resistance and marginal integrity of posterior composites. In conjunction with a recently developed three-bodied wear testing de vice, it was shown that the effectiveness of this surface-penetrating sealant depends upon the mean particle size. Those composites in which the mean particle size is greater than 1 mum undergo nearly 40-50% re duction in wear. The wear of composites containing submicron-sized fil ler particles was not affected by the surface-penetrating sealant. Fin ally, regardless of the particle size of the composites, the surface-p enetrating sealant enhanced marginal integrity.