Composite resin restoration and postoperative sensitivity: clinical follow-up in an undergraduate program.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the relationship between the cavity depth and liners with postoperative sensitivity of resin composite restorations.


METHODS
A clinical follow-up was conducted on 319 resin composite restorations made in the final year of an undergraduate program over a 3-year period. Along with the analyses of cavity type, cavity depth, type of pulpal protection and the materials used, the postoperative sensitivity was also examined on each restoration.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine percent of the restorations had no protective layer (Group 1). As the depth of the prepared cavities increased, the restorations received one of the three pulpal protection methods; a calcium hydroxide base (Group 2), glass ionomer cement (Group 3), or protection with a calcium hydroxide base in combination with glass ionomer cement (Group 4). The incidence of postoperative sensitivity showed no significant difference among Groups 1, 2 and 3, but was significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 4. The restorations made in shallow and medium depth cavities demonstrated significantly less-postoperative sensitivity than those made in deep cavities. The newer generation dentine-bonding agents showed a significantly lower incidence of postoperative sensitivity than the early generation group.


CONCLUSIONS
Postoperative sensitivity in resin composite restorations was not related to the absence of protective layers but increased with the depth of cavities restored with the resin composite. The type of dentine-bonding agents could also be responsible for postoperative sensitivity.
Unemori
M
M
Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka City, Japan. unemori@dent.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Matsuya
Y
Y
Akashi
A
A
Goto
Y
Y
Akamine
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003736:Dental Cavity Lining / Q000379:methods*; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation; D003785:Dental Pulp Capping / Q000379:methods*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D003807:Dentin Sensitivity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D017220:Dentin-Bonding Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
D003188:Composite Resins; D017220:Dentin-Bonding Agents; D005899:Glass Ionomer Cements; D002126:Calcium Hydroxide