Effectiveness of resin-based materials against erosive and abrasive enamel wear

The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of resin-based materials against erosive enamel wear under erosive and abrasive challenges by orange juice and tooth brushing. Fifty enamel specimens from third molars were assigned to five groups: ICON resin infiltration with no etching (ICON-NE), ICON resin infiltration with 15 % HCl etching (ICON-AE), Seal & Protect sealant (S&P), Tetric EvoFlow (TEF), and control. Erosive lesions were first created on enamel, then treated with resin-based materials. Erosive and abrasive challenges by orange juice and tooth brushing were repeated after treatments. Erosive wear of the treated areas was measured with 3D scanning microscopy, and data were analyzed using ANOVA and paired t tests. Treatments with ICON, S&P, and TEF created a protective material coating of 4.5 +/- 1.9 mu m, 44.3 +/- 8.1 mu m, and 84.6 +/- 15.7 mu m in thickness on the lesion surfaces, respectively. After 15 cycles of erosive and abrasive challenges, enamel or material losses were 21.9 +/- 2.3 mu m for control, 24.5 +/- 4.0 mu m for ICON-NE, 24.6 +/- 7.4 mu m for ICON-AE, 11.2 +/- 4.1 mu m for S&P, and 3.9 +/- 1.9 mu m for TEF, respectively. The protective coatings were completely lost in the ICON infiltration groups but remained intact in both the S&P and TEF groups after erosive and abrasive challenges. In contrast to a resin sealant and a flowable composite, ICON infiltration resin was not effective in protecting enamel surfaces from erosive and abrasive wear. Sealant and flowable composite resin may create protective coatings on eroded enamel surfaces and prevent further tissue loss.