Clinical and semiquantitative marginal analysis of four tooth-coloured inlay systems at 3 years.
OBJECTIVE
The marginal quality of four tooth-coloured inlay systems was clinically investigated and subjected to computer-aided semiquantitative marginal analysis under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after 3 years of clinical service.


METHODS
Three of the restoration types were made using the Cerec CAD-CAM apparatus: one was milled from preformed glass ceramic blocks, and the two other inlay types were milled from preformed porcelain blocks. The fourth system was based on an experimental indirect resin composite inlay system. Each inlay type was luted with a different luting resin composite. The clinical evaluation was performed with a mirror and explorer by two clinicians separately, and the marginal analysis was conducted microscopically on replicas (SEM x 200).


RESULTS
After 3 years in situ, all the restorations were clinically acceptable. No recurrent caries was observed. Marginal analysis under SEM detected a high percentage of submargination for all four systems, which suggests that their respective resin composite luting agents were all subject to wear. The percentage of marginal fractures on the enamel side as well as on the inlay side did not increase dramatically compared to the 6-month results.


CONCLUSIONS
The first recall after 6 months of clinical service indicated how tooth-coloured inlays behave at their margins. The 3-year results confirmed the early findings, indicating that wear of resin composite lutes is important and present in all systems. The two ceramic materials showed a similar behaviour at the margins. The resin composite inlay performed better at the inlay site than at the enamel site.
Department of Operative Dentistry and Dental Materials, Katholieke Universeit te Leuven, UZ St Rafaël, Belgium.
S
S
Gladys
B
B
Van Meerbeek
S
S
Inokoshi
G
G
Willems
M
M
Braem
P
P
Lambrechts
G
G
Vanherle
D000328:Adult; D002516:Ceramics / Q000737:chemistry; D003116:Color; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D003731:Dental Caries; D003738:Dental Cements / Q000737:chemistry; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018772:Dental Marginal Adaptation; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003776:Dental Porcelain / Q000737:chemistry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007284:Inlays; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D016628:Replica Techniques; D013499:Surface Properties
D003188:Composite Resins; D003738:Dental Cements; D003764:Dental Materials; D003776:Dental Porcelain