MARGINAL BREAKDOWN OF 5-YEAR-OLD DIRECT COMPOSITE INLAYS

Objectives: The marginal fit of tooth-coloured inlays luted with compo site resin luting materials has been considered to be the weak link of the inlays. The marginal breakdown of 5-year-old direct composite res in inlays was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Methods: Repl ica impressions were made of the occlusal, axial-proximal and accessib le cervical-proximal margins of 21 inlays and the marginal quality was quantified. Results: More than 84% of the total investigated length o f the enamel/luting composite agent-luting composite/composite inlay i nterfaces revealed gap free margins. Proximal margins showed the large st breakdown at the enamel/composite resin interface, while the occlus al margin interfaces showed only a slight difference between the inter faces. The composite inlay and the luting composite resin showed a sim ilar degree of wear in more than 50% of the evaluated marginal length. Medium gap width varied between 60 mu m for the occlusal and axial-pr oximal and 87 mu m for the cervical-proximal margins, with a range of 7.6-266 mu m. Conclusion: The direct composite inlays investigated sho wed good marginal integrity after 5 years in clinical service. Copyrig ht (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.