title: Different scanning electron microscopic evaluation methods of cement interface homogeneity of adhesively luted glass fiber posts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare two methods used to examine the cement interface homogeneity of adhesively luted glass fiber posts (GFPs).
  
  
  METHODS
  GFPs were divided into four groups (n = 5 in each) and inserted into artificial root canals under standardized conditions: Group I = RelyX Unicem, application with application aid; Group II = RelyX Unicem; Group III = Panavia F 2.0; and Group IV = Variolink II. Posts in Groups II-IV were cemented without using an appliance. All specimens were sectioned at three levels (cervical, middle and apical) perpendicularly to the post's long axis and examined and photographed (n = 60) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cement interface inhomogeneities were (A) measured by means of SEM software and (B) estimated using a graphics program with SEM images being divided into 72 equal circle segments to calculate a percentage value of inhomogeneities of the 360° circumference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median values of inhomogeneities (A/B; %) within the cement interface for the cervical, middle and apical levels of analysis, respectively were 1.4/2.1, 2.2/4.2 and 1.9/2.1 for Group I; 21.0/20.1, 24.8/23.6 and 27.0/24.3 for Group II; 1.5/1.7, 5.5/6.3 and 19.4/20.8 for Group III; and 18.1/16.7, 16.1/15.3 and 27.2/25.7 for Group IV. The two methods correlated very well (0.994), with a value of one indicating a 100% correlation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both evaluation methods were found to be equally appropriate for quantifying the cement interface homogeneity of SEM cross-sections of adhesively luted GFPs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Prosthodontics and Material Science, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. ronny.watzke@gmx.de
authors.forename: Ronny
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watzke
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frankenberger
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naumann
mesh_terms: D000268:Adhesiveness; D003196:Computer Graphics; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods*; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry; D011176:Post and Core Technique / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019279:Resin Cements / Q000737:chemistry*; D012821:Silanes / Q000737:chemistry; D012984:Software; D013499:Surface Properties; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: C438843:Panavia-Fluoro; C483701:Rely X Unicem; D019279:Resin Cements; D012821:Silanes; C009753:fiberglass; C103502:Variolink; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate