18-Month Clinical Evaluation of Self-Adhesive Flowable Giomer With and Without Selective Enamel Etching Versus Flowable Giomer Using Standard Bonding Protocol in Carious Cervical Lesions: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Self-adhesive flowable restorative materials have been introduced to simplify clinical procedures by eliminating the need for separate bonding steps. These materials are designed to combine adhesive and restorative functions in a single application, which may reduce technique sensitivity and chairside time. However, the bond strength of self-adhesive materials to enamel and dentin remains a concern, particularly in cervical lesions where reliable adhesion is critical for long-term clinical success Selective enamel etching has been suggested as a technique to improve enamel bonding when using self-adhesive or self-etch materials, as it enhances micromechanical retention without adversely affecting dentin bonding. Previous studies have reported that additional enamel etching may improve marginal adaptation and retention, while preserving the simplified clinical procedure of self-adhesive systems. Nevertheless, the clinical effectiveness of self-adhesive Giomer materials with and without selective enamel etching in high caries-risk patients has not been sufficiently investigated.

Therefore, randomized clinical trials evaluating the performance of these materials in cervical carious lesions are required to determine the most reliable restorative approach in patients with increased susceptibility to caries.