Marginal microleakage in bonded amalgam restorations: a combined in vivo and in vitro study.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the marginal microleakage in bonded amalgam restorations in teeth extracted a month after restoration placement.


METHODS
Nine teeth in a patient scheduled for complete extraction were selected. In each tooth, a buccal prepared cavity was treated with Scotchbond Plus and filled with high copper amalgam. In four teeth, a lingual unlined restoration was also prepared as control. A month later, all the teeth were extracted; seven teeth were immersed for 48 hours in a 0.05% basic fucsine dye solution and then sectioned. Sections were observed with a stereomicroscope at 10X. Results were statistically evaluated using a nonparametric Mann-Whitney test for independent data. The remaining two teeth were sectioned and observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).


RESULTS
Stereomicroscopic analysis revealed that 80% of bonded specimens did not exhibit dye infiltration at the enamel margin; the same percentage of bonded specimens showed partial infiltration at the cervical margin. In the unlined control specimens, there was a complete dye infiltration at both margins. SEM analysis revealed a good adaptation between resin and tooth and between resin and amalgam.


CONCLUSIONS
Bonded amalgam restorations are effective in reducing marginal microleakage, particularly at the enamel margin.
Di Lenarda
R
R
Institute of Odontology, University of Trieste, Italy. dile_rdl@hotmail.com
Cadenaro
M
M
Gregorig
G
G
De Stefano Dorigo
E
E
D000368:Aged; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000737:chemistry*; D001840:Dental Bonding; D003736:Dental Cavity Lining; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003763:Dental Leakage / Q000145:classification*; D018772:Dental Marginal Adaptation; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D017220:Dentin-Bonding Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D019279:Resin Cements / Q000737:chemistry; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019237:Tooth Cervix / Q000648:ultrastructure
D003722:Dental Alloys; D017220:Dentin-Bonding Agents; D019279:Resin Cements; D012394:Rosaniline Dyes; C084018:Scotchbond Multi-Purpose; C025485:basic fuchsin; D003300:Copper; D003723:Dental Amalgam