Fluoride Release from Restorative Materials and Its Effects on Dentin Demineralization

As the use of adhesive restorative materials has increased during the last several years, interest in adhesive materials that release fluoride has also grown. The purpose of this study was to measure fluoride release from several adhesive restorative materials and to evaluate its effect on dentin resistance to demineralization and on bacterial metabolism in a modified in vitro system. Standardized cavities (1.8 mm in diameter) were prepared in bovine teeth that had been ground to dentin. One cavity in each tooth was restored with one of the following restorative systems: (a) Single Bond and Z100; (b) Single Bond and Tetric Ceram; (c) Fuji Bond LC and Z100; (d) Fuji Bond LC and Tetric Ceram; (e) Fuji II LC; or (f) Fuji IX GP. The other cavity in each tooth was "restored" with wax as a control. For each restorative system, 12 specimens were evaluated for fluoride release during the first 24 hrs after restoration placement. Dentin adjacent to the restored sites was subjected to lactic acid challenge (pH 4.3)...