Mineral content of enamel carious lesions in approximal contact with different restorative materials in primary teeth

This study investigated the possibility of caries lesions arrest when in approximal contact with fluoride-releasing restorative materials, in vitro (I) and in situ (II). White-spot lesions were initially formed in 130 primary enamel specimens via a pH cycling regimen during 10 days. Light-induced fluorescence images (QLF and Vista Proof) were made of each enamel slab at the beginning and after the lesions induction to assess the mineral loss/gain of the artificial caries lesions. Ten specimens were collected and transversally cut for microhardness analysis. The rest of them were put in contact with cylindrical blocks of 6 different materials (n=20): composite resin (Z350®), high viscous glass ionomer (GIC) (Ketac Molar® and Riva Self Cure®), resin-modified GIC (Vitremer®), resin- modified nano-ionomer (Ketac Nano®) and compomer (Dyract Extra®). These settings were designed to simulate the contact point between the restoration and the approximal lesion. For the study I, they were subjected to a new cariogenic challenge (pH cycling) for 7 (n=10) or 14 days (n=10). For the study II, the specimens were prepared in a similar manner and a randomized double-blind in situ design was conducted in two phases (7/14 days) for the subsequent cariogenic challenge. Ten volunteers wore palatal devices containing 6 specimens (caries lesion + restorative). The volunteers used fluoride dentifrice 3x/day and a 20% sucrose solution was dripped onto the slabs 8x /day. At the end of both studies, specimens were collected for mineral analysis by fluorescence methods and traversal microhardnes. Distribution of data and equality of variances were determined using KolmogorovSmirnov and Levene tests.