Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of saliva contamination on microleakage around composite (Tetric N-ceram) and glass ionomer (Fuji IX™) in primary teeth, and to compare the effect of saliva contamination on microleakage between both materials. This in vitro study contained 60 intact newly extracted human primary teeth (canines and molars). The sample has been divided randomly and equally into two groups according to restoration materials (composite Tetric N-ceram and glass ionomer Fuji IX™) and each group was divided randomly and equally into two subgroups according to the existence of the saliva contamination. The saliva contamination has caused an increase in the degree of microleakage in two types of restoration materials, the effect has been significant only in composite. When comparing the two types of restoration materials, there have been no significant differences in the degree of microleakage for restoration with or without saliva contamination. It is useful to use the composite when we have control on saliva contamination and when we use glass ionomer (Fuji IX™) to restore primary teeth when the control of saliva contamination is difficult.