Effectiveness of flowable resin composite in reducing microleakage - an in vitro study.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to evaluate the microleakage, when flowable composite is used as a restorative material and a liner. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty, non-carious, extracted human premolar teeth were used and they were divided into five groups according to the type of composite material used. Group I: Hybrid composite was inserted and cured for 40 s. Group II: Flowable resin composite which was cured for 40 s. Group III: A thin layer of flowable composite was used to line the axial wall of cavity, over that hybrid composite was inserted and cured for 40 s. Group IV: A thin layer of flowable composite was lined on the axial wall of cavity; over that a packable composite was inserted and cured for 40 s. Group V: Group V was a control group. These cavities were not etched and bonded. They were restored with resin modified glass ionomer cement. After thermocycling and dye immersion, each tooth sectioned longitudinally. Each restoration was observed under a binocular stereomicroscope with magnifying loop of ×12 for microleakage. RESULTS The results of the study indicate that there was minimum leakage at the enamel margin of all groups. In every group, the leakage at the dentin margin was more than that at the enamel margin. The difference was statistically significant in hybrid and flowable composite (P values are 0.29 and 0.289, respectively). CONCLUSION Similar leakage values were shown by Groups I and II, indicating that flowable and hybrid composites performed equally well in terms of microleakage. The use of flowable composite as a liner under hybrid and packable composite have shown a trend toward less leakage compared to hybrid and flowable composite alone. How to cite the article: Lokhande NA, Padmai AS, Rathore VP, Shingane S, Jayashankar DN, Sharma U. Effectiveness of flowable resin composite in reducing microleakage - An in vitro Study. J Int Oral Health 2014;6(3):111-4.