Marginal adaptation to enamel of a polyacid-modified resin composite (compomer) and a resin-modified glass ionomer cement in vivo

Recently, new restoratives, such as resin-modified glass ionomer cements (RMGIC) and polyacid-modified resin composites (PMC) were introduced for class III and class V cavities. Both materials use simplified cavity conditioning methods. The well-established treatment of enamel with phosphoric acid has been replaced with treatment using weaker acids. The purpose of this study was to investigate in vivo the quality and durability of the marginal bond to enamel of these restorative system and compare it with a resin composite restorative. Seventeen patients received class III restorations of each of the three restoratives. At baseline and after 1 year replica impressions were made for investigation of the vestibular margins with the scanning electron microscope. Semi-quantitative analysis of the enamel-restorative interfaces was performed at ×200 and ×1000 magnifications. The three restorative systems showed good marginal adaptation and high percentages of the length of the margins investigated at baseline were gap-free (82% – 92%). The resin composite showed significantly better adaptation than the other materials. The marginal quality decreased significantly after 1 year for the resin composite and the polyacid-modified resin composite. The RMGIC showed improved sealing after 1 year in vivo, probably due to continuing water uptake. The percentages of gap-free margins of the total marginal length observed at 1 year were 73%, 90%, and 84%, respectively, for the PMC, the RMGIC and the resin composite. The difference between the PMC and the RMGIC was significant. In conclusion, a good marginal quality was seen for all three restorative systems in class III cavities after a period of 1 year. Received: 9 June 1997 / Accepted: 8 September 1997