Comparison of Efficacy of Newer Adhesive Systems with Conventional Liners under Silver Amalgam Restorations – An In Vitro Trial

Background: Use of newer adhesives to improve adhesion and reduce microleakage between tooth-amalgam interface is the need of the hour, to promote the clinical use of diminishing silver amalgam restorations. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to evaluate and compare the efficacy of conventional liners and newer bonding adhesives, namely, Optibond, self-etch adhesive system, and Single Bond Universal Adhesive system in minimizing the microleakage under amalgam restorations. Materials and Methods: Class I cavities were prepared on occlusal surfaces of 40 premolars and were randomly divided into four groups of 10 teeth each, which were lined with dental varnish, Bifluorid varnish, Optibond, and Single Bond Universal Adhesive and restored with silver amalgam. The specimens were subjected to microleakage testing through dye penetration method, observed under ××30 stereomicroscope. Results: Amalgam restorations lined with Single Bond Universal Adhesive showed significantly higher (P < 0.001) microleakage score (mean rank = 34.50) when compared to restorations lined with Bifluorid varnish (mean rank = 22.40), dental varnish (mean rank = 15.70), and Optibond (mean rank = 9.40). Conclusion: The study concluded that among all the cavity lining materials used, Optibond All-In-One self-etch adhesive significantly minimized microleakage under silver amalgam restorations.