Effect of the use of rubber dam versus cotton rolls on marginal adaptation of composite resin fillings to acid-etched enamel.

The effect of the use of rubber dam and the use of cotton rolls on the marginal adaptation of composite resin fillings to acid-etched enamel was investigated in vivo. Each of 35 patients received one hybrid and one microfilled resin filling placed in front teeth under rubber dam and one hybrid and one microfilled resin filling placed with cotton rolls and saliva suction equipment as moisture control. Marginal adaptation was investigated, by means of SEM replica technique, 1 week and 1 year after insertion of the fillings. The similarity in marginal adaptation to the acid-etched margins of fillings made with or without rubber dam indicated that sufficient dryness in the supragingival area can be achieved under the conditions used in the present study. With both moisture control methods the hybrid resin fillings showed statistically significantly better marginal adaptation than the microfilled restorations, both after 1 week and after 1 year. The size and the volume of the marginal defects increased markedly for both filling materials at the 1-year examination compared with the 1-week registrations.