This study assessed in vitro marginal leakage of class V cavities prepared by turbine and Er:YAG laser and restored with different materials. Sixty cavities with enamel and dentine margins were prepared and assigned to six groups: I, II, III by turbine and IV, V, VI by Er:YAG laser. The following restorative systems were used: groups I and IV: Bond 1 + Alert; II and V: Fuji II LC; III and VI: SBMP + Dispersalloy. After finishing, specimens were thermocycled for 8 h and 45 min (500 cycles), isolated, immersed in a 0.2% Rhodamine B solution, sectioned oro-facially and analysed for leakage. The dye penetration means (%) were: occlusal I: 10.09 (+/- 21.28), II: 3.25 (+/- 10.27), III: 0, IV: 41.77 (+/- 42.48), V: 23.37 (+/- 33.79), VI: 12.66 (+/- 24.06); cervical I: 16.49 (+/- 26.67), II: 4.34 (+/- 13.71), III: 0, IV: 37.71 (+/- 30.47), V: 39.56 (+/- 43.35) and VI: 72.53 (+/- 37.79). The use of Er:YAG laser for cavity preparation yielded higher degree of marginal leakage, as compared with the use of conventional air-turbine. The enamel interface provided better marginal sealing, comparing with dentine/cementum margin. As to the cavity preparation device (i.e. laser or bur), the analysis of the results showed that bonded amalgam and Fuji II LC provided less infiltration, than Alert. On the other hand, for lased cavities, Alert provided the best results, similar to those of Fuji II LC and superior to those reached by bonded amalgam.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the shear bond strength of a composite resin to dental enamel, using three different surface treatments. Fifteen sound third molars were randomly assigned to three groups. The mesial and distal surfaces were flattened and covered using adhesive tape with a central orifice delimiting the adhesion area (7.07 mm2). Group I, the enamel surface was conditioned with 37% phosphoric acid for 15 s; group II, the surface was treated using air abrasion with aluminum oxide; group III, the enamel surface was treated using an association of air abrasion with aluminum oxide and 37% phosphoric acid. The Single Bond (3M) adhesive system was applied and a Teflon matrix was placed and filled with composite resin Z-100 (3M) and light-cured. The shear bond strength test was performed with a universal testing machine. The acid etching technique and air abrasion with aluminum oxide associated with acid etching had the highest shear bond strength values. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using ANOVA and the Turkey test, and no statistically significant difference in shear bond strength was observed between group I (12.49 +/- 2.85 MPa) and group III (12.59 +/- 2.68 MPa). In contrast, both groups had statistically better shear bond strengths compared to group II (0.29 +/- 0.56 MPa; p < 0.05). Air abrasion with aluminum oxide does not substitute acid etching. The association of these methods to obtain adequate adhesion to the substrate is necessary.

It may be concluded that the treatment with air-abrasion followed by acid etching is an effective procedure to obtain an adequate surface for resin adhesion.

This in vitro study assessed the marginal microleakage on class V cavities prepared with aluminum oxide air abrasion and restored with different glass ionomer cements. The cavities were prepared on the buccal and lingual surfaces of 15 sound third molars with an airabrasion device (Kreativ Mach 4.1; New Image) using a 27.5-µm aluminum oxide particle stream, and were assigned to 3 groups of 10 cavities each. The restorative materials were: group I, a conventional glass ionomer cement (Ketac-Fil); groups II and III, resinmodified glass ionomer cements (Vitremer R and Fuji II LC, respectively). After placement of the restorations, the teeth were stored in distilled water at 37 o C for 24 h, polished and then submitted to a thermocycling regimen of 500 cycles, isolated, immersed in 0.2% Rhodamine B solution for 24 h, included and serially sectioned. Microleakage was assessed by viewing the specimens under an optical microscope connected to a color video camera and a computer. The images obtained were digitized and analyzed for microleakage using software that allows for a standard quantitative assessment of dye penetration in millimeters. Statistical analysis was done using the Kruskall-Wallis and Wilcoxon tests. Means of dye penetration (%) were: occlusal -I: 25.76 ± 34.35, II: 20.00 ± 42. 16, III: 28.25 ± 41.67; II: 44.22 ± 49.69, III: 39.27 ± 50.74. No statistically significant differences (p>0.05) were observed among either the glass ionomer cements or the margins. In conclusion, class V cavities restored with either conventional or resinmodified glass ionomer cements after preparation with aluminum oxide air abrasion did not show complete sealing at the enamel and dentin/cementum margins.