Journal of Dental Medicine

Background and Aims: Despite the reduction of incidence of dental caries in recent years, this disease is common and many efforts were conducted to decrease the prevalence of dental caries. On the other hand secondary caries lesions are the main reason for replacement of direct restorations. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to evaluate suitable methods of preparation and restorative materials to reduce caries recurrence.

Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, eighty human teeth were collected and stored in normal saline. The teeth were soft-tissue debrided and cleaned with water/pumice slurry and rubber cups in a low-speed handpiece. Speciments were randomly divided in two main groups. Cavities were prepared with diamond burs or Er:YAG laser (10 Hz, 300 mJ, 3W). Each group was divided into 4 sub-groups, and restored with a glass-ionomer cement (Fuji IX), resin modified glass-ionomer (Fuji II LC), total etch bonding + composite resin or self-etch bonding + composite resin. The specimens were submitted to pH cycling. Speciments were then sectioned, polished and Vickers microhardness measurements were performed on each specimen. Differences among the medians were analyzed using two way ANOVA test at a 95% confidence level and Tukey test.

Results: Statistical analysis showed significant difference in the type of substrate (enamel, dentin) in both main groups (P<0.0001) but no differences in the caries lesion development between the cavities restored with the same material and prepared with diamond burs or Er:YAG laser.

Conclusion: The Er:YAG laser used for cavity preparation and different types of restorative materials used did not show the ability to guarantee significantly more acid-resistance tooth structure against demineralization.

Background and Aims: Restoration of non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) is challenging due to the difficulty of adhesion of dental tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three methods of surface treatments using diamond bur, Er: YAG laser and sandblasting on the microtensile bond strength of resin composite to the noncarious dentin in cervical lesions.
Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, 48 canine and premolar extracted human teeth with NCCLs at the buccal surface were selected and randomly divided into 4 groups of twelve each: control group without any treatment, Er: YAG laser group, diamond bur group and sandblasting group. For all groups, the bonding agent used was Clearfil SE Bond and then the cavities were filled with
the Filtek Z250 resin-composite. After this step, the teeth were cut and then subjected to the microtensile bond strength test. Data were analyzed by the Kruskal Wallis test.
Results: According to the obtained results, the microtensile bond strength, from the highest to the lowest values were in the sandblast group (24.57±10.24 MPa), the diamond bur group (19.19±10.8 MPa), laser group (18.59±9.05 MPa) and the control group (18.56±9.27 MPa), respectively. Although, no statistically significant difference was found between any of the groups (P=0.266).
Conclusion: It seems that in teeth with NCCLs, the sandblasting method had a much better effect on the bond strength, although no statistically difference between surface treatment methods was found.