Effect of Multiple Consecutive Adhesive Coatings on Microleakage of Class V Cavities

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of multiple consecutive adhesive coatings of a one-step self-etch adhesive on microleakage of Class V cavities. METHODS: Standardized box shaped Class V cavities were prepared onto the buccal side of forty five non-carious human premolar teeth. The teeth were randomly divided into three groups of fifteen teeth in each and restored as: Group I- one-step self-etch adhesive resin (Clearfil S3, Kuraray Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan) was applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions, Group II- two consecutive same one-step self-etch adhesive application was performed, and Group III- three consecutive same one-step self-etch adhesive application was performed. After the adhesive applications light curing unit was activated for 20 seconds and the cavities were restored with a composite resin. The restorations were finished with aluminum oxide discs and the specimens were stored in water at room temperature for 24 hours before they were immersed in 2% methylene blue for 48 hours. The dye penetration was examined under a stereomicroscope and the asymtotic significance were analysed with Kruskall Wallis and Mann Whitney U tests and dentin-enamel margins were compared with each other with Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. RESULTS: The microleakage at the dentinal margins of Class V cavities were significantly decreased with two (Group II) and three (Group III) consecutive adhesive applications (P<.05). There was no significant difference between Group I, Group II and Group III at the enamel margins (P<.05). The microleakage at the dentinal margins were significantly higher than the enamel margins in Group I and Group II but in Group III there was no statistically significant difference (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this in vitro study, it may be concluded that three consecutive applications of the one-step self-etch adhesive resin provided better sealing than the one coat of adhesive resin at the dentinal margins of Class V cavities.