The effect of three dentinal sealers on retention of crowns cemented with resin-modified glass ionomer cement: An in vitro study

Abstract

Background: Dentinal sealers (desensitizing agents) are used to protect the pulp from possible injurious effects after tooth preparation and also prevent the penetration of dentinal tubules by bacteria and their products which are currently thought to cause most of the pulpal inflammation under the crowns. Aim: The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of effect of three different desensitizing agents on retention of crowns cemented with resin-modified glass ionomer cement. Materials and methods: Forty freshly extracted maxillary first premolars were notched for retention and the teeth specimens were mounted in autopolymerising resin. The axial height of all the specimens was 4 mm with a 20° angle of convergence. Impressions of the prepared teeth were made, later waxed invested and casted. Thirty teeth were coated with three different desensitizing agents were used in this study: Cavity varnish (Namuvar, Deepti Dental Products), Glutaraldehyde (Gluma- Heraeus Kulzer), Resin (AdheSE, Ivoclar Vivadent). Ten teeth were not coated with desensitizing agents to act as control group. Independent T test used to compare the mean values between groups. Results: Tensile strength for average surface area of the groups I, II, III and IV are 0.3759, 0.2375, 0.2411, 0.2348 respectively. The t-test shows ‘p’-value is statistically not significant (p < 0.05) for groups II and III, where as in group IV ‘p’-value is statistically significant (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The use of AdheSE/resin-based dentinal sealer showed increase in bond strength of the crowns luted with resin-modified glass ionomer cement when compared with control group. This study advocates the use of resin-based sealer or a glutaraldehyde-based sealer before cementation of the crowns. The cavity varnish, however, reduces the bond strength and is not acceptable.