Clinical evaluation of glass ionomer cements used in Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART)

Introduction: Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) is a minimally invasive technique that uses hand instruments to remove compromised dentin and enamel to stop the progression of caries. Properties such as mechanical strength, adhesion to the tooth structure, biocompatibility and fluoride release justify the indication of glass ionomer cements as the most suitable restorative materials for the technique. Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical performance of Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) restorations performed with two different glass ionomer cements (GIC) in permanent molars for a follow-up period of 48 months. Methodology: Fifty-six occlusal class I restorations were performed on permanent molars of 34 children and adolescents aged between 10 and 15 years in two municipal schools in the city of Sobral, Ceará, Brazil. The evaluated materials were Ketac Molar Easy Mix (3M ESPE Dental AG, Seefeld, Germany) and Vitro Molar (DFL Indústria e Comércio Ltda, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil). The restorations were evaluated at 6 months, 12 months and 48 months after the restorative procedure according to the ART and USPHS evaluation criteria. Results: According to the ART criteria, the success percentages of restorations performed with Ketac Molar Easy Mix (n=27) were 96%, 85% and 80% referring to the evaluation periods of 6 months, 12 months and 48 months , respectively. As for the restorative material Vitro Molar, the percentages of success of the restorations performed with this material (n=29) were 100%, 89% and 76% referring to the evaluation periods of 6 months, 12 months and 48 months, respectively. There was no statistical difference in relation to the clinical performance of the two analyzed materials, when compared to each other and when evaluated in different study periods (p>0.05). Conclusion: Both GIC showed satisfactory clinical performance in single-surface occlusal restorations on permanent molars after 48 months.