Long-term monitoring of microleakage of cavity varnish and adhesive resin with amalgam

Abstract

Statement of problem. The penetration of oral fluids and bacteria at the interface between the cavity walls and amalgam restorations, which is known as marginal leakage, is one of the problems facing restorative dentistry today. This may cause secondary caries and the irritation of the pulp. Purpose. This in vitro study tested and compared the sealing ability of a cavity varnish and a dental adhesive for decreasing the marginal leakage of high copper amalgam fillings by chemical diffusion technique. Material and methods. The samples were randomly divided into three groups. The cavities in the first group were filled with high copper amalgam. In the second and third groups, the cavities were treated with Copalite and Panavia EX adhesives, respectively, before the amalgam fillings were performed. After the periods of 2 hours, 48 hours, 1 week, and 1.5 and 6 months, the amount of calcium diffused through the interface area into the deionized water was measured with inductively coupled plasma. Results. Six-month results revealed that using a dental adhesive as an interfacial sealer had significant advantages to reduce microleakage when compared with a conventional copal varnish. (J Prosthet Dent 1998;79:136-39.)