Color Match Between Composite Resin and Tooth Remnant in Class IV Restorations: A Case Series

SUMMARY Rehydration of the tooth remnant and complete polymerization of the composite resin are aspects that should be considered in shade selection of composite resin. This article presents a case series of Class IV restorations performed to evaluate the color match between the composite resin and the tooth remnant. Thirteen Class IV restorations were performed in maxillary central incisors and evaluated according to the period following the restorative procedure: 10 minutes (baseline), 48 hours before and after finishing and polishing, and seven, 14, and 28 days. The color match of the restorations was evaluated by the ΔE values of the tooth remnant (TR) and the composite resin (CR) in each evaluation period using a spectrophotometer. The translucency, luminosity, and saturation were analyzed qualitatively in digital photographs of the restorations. The CR ΔE was statistically similar to the TR ΔE at 14 and 28 days (p&amp;gt;0.05). The saturation and luminosity of most of the restorations remained unchanged, but there was a greater change in the translucency. The color match of the composite resin in Class IV restorations was observed after 14 days of clinical assessment in this case series.</jats:p

Effect of Surface Sealants and Polishing Time on Composite Surface Roughness and Microhardness

SUMMARY The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of surface sealants and polishing delay time on a nanohybrid resin composite roughness and microhardness. Eighty disc specimens were made with a nanohybrid resin (Esthet-X HD, Dentsply). The specimens were divided into two groups (n=40) according to polishing time: immediate, after 10 minutes; delayed, after 48 hours. Each group was subdivided into four groups (n=10), according to the surface treatment: CG, control–rubber points (Jiffy Polishers, Ultradent); PP, rubber points + surface sealant (PermaSeal, Ultradent); PF, rubber points + surface sealant (Fortify, Bisco); PB, rubber points + surface sealant (BisCover, Bisco). Surface roughness (Ra) and microhardness (50 g/15 seconds) were measured. Surface morphology was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The data were analyzed statistically using one-way analysis of variance and the Games-Howell post hoc test (α=0.05). PermaSeal roughness (G2) in the delayed polishing group was significantly higher (p=0.00) than that of the other groups. No difference was observed among the groups between immediate and delayed polishing (p=1.00), except for PermaSeal (p=0.00). Moreover, PermaSeal showed the lowest microhardness values (p=0.00) for immediate polishing. Microhardness was higher at delayed polishing for all the surface treatments (p=0.00) except Fortify (p=0.73). Surface smoothness similar to polishing with rubber points was achieved when surface sealants were used, except for PermaSeal surface sealant, which resulted in a less smooth resin composite surface. However, surface sealant application did not significantly improve composite resin microhardness.</jats:p

A Conservative Technique for Repairing Class IV Composite Restorations

SUMMARY Composite resin may make a restoration noticeable as time passes, on account of its color instability. The repair technique is a minimally invasive treatment for class IV composite resin restorations that show unsatisfactory coloration. Thus, the objective of the present article was to report a clinical case involving a conservative technique used for repairing a class IV composite resin restoration in the left maxillary central incisor and the replacement of a class IV restoration in the right maxillary central incisor.</jats:p

Eighteen-month Clinical Study of Universal Adhesives in Noncarious Cervical Lesions

SUMMARY Objective: To evaluate the clinical performance of Scotchbond Universal (3M Oral Care) and Prime &amp; Bond Elect (Dentsply Sirona) in the restoration of noncarious cervical lesions (NCCLs). Methods and Materials: This was a randomized controlled clinical trial involving 63 subjects. Two hundred and three NCCLs were restored using Scotchbond Universal and Prime &amp; Bond Elect using both an etch-and-rinse and a self-etch technique. Lesions were notch-shaped NCCLs, and the restorations were placed without any mechanical retention. Restorations were finished immediately after placement and scored with regard to retention, marginal discoloration, marginal adaptation, and secondary caries. Similar assessment of the restorations was performed 18 months after placement. Logistic regression was performed for each outcome separately with a compound symmetric variance-covariance structure assumed to consider a correlation of restorations within subjects. All analyses were conducted using SAS version 9.4 (SAS Inc). Results: One hundred and fifty-eight teeth (77.8% of the restorations placed) in 46 subjects (73% of subjects enrolled) were available for the 18-month follow-up. A statistically significant difference was reached only for the comparison Scotchbond Universal/self-etch (SU_SE) and Prime &amp; Bond Elect/etch-and-rinse (PBE_E&amp;R) groups (p=0.01), where a restoration with SU_SE was 66% less likely to maintain a score of Alpha for marginal discoloration than a restoration performed with PBE_E&amp;R. Conclusions: Scotchbond Universal and Prime &amp; Bond Elect presented acceptable clinical performance after 18 months of clinical service. However, Scotchbond Universal, when applied with a self-etch approach, did demonstrate a relatively high level of marginal discoloration when compared to the other groups. </jats:sec