title: Effect of operator variability on microleakage with different adhesive systems.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of operator variability on microleakage with different adhesive systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 180 standardized Class V cavities were prepared on facial and lingual of 90 extracted human premolar teeth and randomly assigned to five groups according to the adhesive systems used (n = 36): Prime and Bond NT (PB), Single Bond (SB), Futura Bond NR, Xeno III (XE) and Adper Prompt-L-Pop (LP). The adhesive groups were then further subdivided into three operator groups according to level of clinical experience (n = 12): An undergraduate student, a research assistant and a faculty member. All cavities were restored with same composite resin. The restored teeth were thermocycled (500 cycles, 5-55°C) then immersed in 0.5% basic fuchsin and measured for leakage under a stereomicroscope. Statistical analyses were performed with the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant inter-operator variation was found in the enamel margins in the XE group with significantly higher microleakage when used by the undergraduate student (P < 0.05). Although no significant differences in microleakage were found between adhesive systems for the research assistant and faculty member (P > 0.05), significant differences were observed between PB and LP, PB and XE, SB and LP and SB and XE in the enamel margins for the undergraduate student (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microleakage of adhesive systems is more dependent on interactions between the operator and adhesive material than on the choice of adhesive material.
authors: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkiye.
authors: Emel
authors: E
authors: Karaman
authors: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkiye.
authors: A Ruya
authors: AR
authors: Yazici
authors: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkiye.
authors: Burak
authors: B
authors: Aksoy
authors: Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkiye.
authors: Erdem
authors: E
authors: Karabulut
authors: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkiye.
authors: Gul
authors: G
authors: Ozgunaltay
authors: Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkiye.
authors: Berrin
authors: B
authors: Dayangac
keywords: Dentin bonding; microleakage; operator variability