A new clinical trial has demonstrated the successful performance of a modified radio-opaque universal adhesive in cervical restorations over a 24-month period, marking a significant advancement in dental adhesive technology.
The randomized clinical trial, registered under NCT05509127, evaluated the performance of Scotchbond™ Universal Plus Adhesive against conventional Single Bond Universal in treating cervical carious lesions. The study, conducted at the Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University, involved 50 restorations divided equally between the two adhesive systems.
Clinical Performance Metrics
The radio-opaque universal adhesive achieved remarkable results, maintaining 100% alpha scores across all evaluation criteria after 24 months. While the conventional universal adhesive group showed 85.7% alpha scores, all restorations remained clinically successful. The study found no statistically significant differences between the two adhesives for key parameters including retention, postoperative sensitivity, and secondary caries.
Technical Advantages
The modified formulation incorporates a novel brominated dimethacrylate monomer, providing dentin-like radio-opacity while maintaining optimal viscosity and handling properties. This innovation addresses a critical clinical need by eliminating potential misinterpretation of adhesive layers in radiographic examinations.
Both adhesive systems benefited from the presence of 10-MDP monomer and Vitrebond co-polymer, which contribute to their strong chemical bonding with tooth structure. The study utilized an etch-and-rinse protocol, which current evidence suggests as optimal for cervical lesions.
Marginal Adaptation and Quality
Notably, Scotchbond™ Universal Plus demonstrated superior marginal adaptation, maintaining 100% alpha scores throughout the study period. The conventional adhesive showed some deterioration, with three restorations scoring bravo after 24 months. This difference may be attributed to the modified adhesive's lower viscosity (50.2 ± 0.3 MPa compared to 115.5 ± 0.6 MPa), enabling better surface wetting and adaptation.
Clinical Implications
The study results validate both adhesive systems for cervical restorations, meeting ADA standards which require clinical failure rates below 10% after 18 months. The enhanced radio-opacity of the modified adhesive provides an additional clinical advantage without compromising performance.
The research team noted that while the results are promising, longer-term studies with larger sample sizes would be valuable to further validate these findings. The current study's retention rate of 88% after 24 months (92% in the intervention group and 84% in the control group) suggests robust clinical reliability for both systems.
