title: 3D-microleakage assessment of adhesive interfaces: exploratory findings by μCT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the feasibility of a 3D-microleakage protocol for the evaluation of various configurations of adhesive-tooth interfaces.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three different kinds of specimens were prepared: (1) a Class-I composite restoration placed without any bonding to maximize gap formation at the interface; (2) a glass-fiber post cemented with a self-adhesive composite cement into a prepared root canal; and (3) inlay MOD composite restorations placed with either a 1-step self-adhesive or a 2-step etch-and-rinse composite cement. After silver-nitrate (AgNO3) infiltration, the specimens were scanned using a Skyscan 1172 X-ray microtomograph (μCT; Skyscan Bruker) at 100kV, 100μA and 7.8-9.5μm resolution. Projection images were reconstructed, after which maximum-intensity projections (MIPs) and 3D-volumetric renderings were produced. For the inlays, an additional conventional stereomicroscopic (SM) microleakage evaluation was accomplished after specimen sectioning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MIPs and 3D-renderings from specimens (1) and (2) revealed strongly varying microleakage patterns along the marginal gap/interface. For the specimens of setup (3), the high radiopacity of the 2-step composite cement hindered evaluation of the MIPs. MIP-microleakage patterns along the enamel margin of the restoration cemented with the 1-step composite cement corresponded well to the stereomicroscopic images.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reported μCT-protocol revealed good sensitivity to detect AgNO3 infiltration at the adhesive-tooth interface when considerable microleakage was present. When microleakage was less apparent and spread in a more diffuse pattern, evaluation with μCT was less sensitive compared to stereomicroscopic evaluation.
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - BIOMAT, Department of Oral Health Sciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) & Dentistry, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium; School of Health Sciences, Grande Rio University (UNIGRANRIO), Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - BIOMAT, Department of Oral Health Sciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) & Dentistry, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Medical Technology Centre (LMTC), Division of Biomechanics and Engineering Design, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Belgium.
authors.forename: Siegfried
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaecques
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - BIOMAT, Department of Oral Health Sciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) & Dentistry, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Ende
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - BIOMAT, Department of Oral Health Sciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) & Dentistry, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marcio Vivan
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - BIOMAT, Department of Oral Health Sciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) & Dentistry, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium; School of Dentistry, Fluminense Federal University, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - BIOMAT, Department of Oral Health Sciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) & Dentistry, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium; Klinik für Zahnerhaltung, Parodontologie und Präventive Zahnheilkunde, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne-Katrin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Lührs
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - BIOMAT, Department of Oral Health Sciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) & Dentistry, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium; Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zicari
authors.affiliation: KU Leuven - BIOMAT, Department of Oral Health Sciences, KU Leuven (University of Leuven) & Dentistry, University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: bart.vanmeerbeek@med.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Van Meerbeek
mesh_terms: D003738:Dental Cements; D003763:Dental Leakage; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
chemical_list: D003738:Dental Cements
keywords: 3D; Adhesive; Composite; Fiber posts; Micro-CT; Microleakage; Silver nitrate