Artificial caries formation around fluoride-releasing restorations in roots

Secondary caries is one of the most important factors leading to replacement of dental restorations. This investigation assessed the capacity of fluoride-releasing restorative materials to resist caries in vitro when used in roots. Class 5 cavities were prepared in the buccal and lingual surfaces of 30 extracted premolars. The six materials used were: glass-ionomer cement (Fuji(R)), glass-ionomer cement with silver particles added (Ketac-silver(R)), fluoride-containing composite resin (Tetric(R)), composite resin (Silux plus(R)), fluoride-containing amalgam (Fluor-Alloy(R)) and high-copper amalgam (Dispersalloy(R)). After 5 weeks in an acid gel for caries-like lesion formation, the teeth were sectioned longitudinally and examined with polarized light. The results showed that repair with glass-ionomer materials of a carious lesion may be of great importance in the prevention of secondary caries around the restorations in roots.