The clinical performance of CAD/CAM-generated composite inlays.

BACKGROUND The authors conducted a study to evaluate the longitudinal clinical performance of a resin-based composite (Paradigm, 3M ESPE, St. Paul, Minn.) for computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM)-generated adhesive inlays. METHODS The researchers used a CAD/CAM unit (CEREC 2, Sirona Dental Systems, Bensheim Germany) to fabricate 40 porcelain (Vita Mark II, Vita Zahnfabrik, Bad Säckingen, Germany) and 40 resin-based composite (Paradigm, 3M ESPE) inlays. Both restorative materials were cemented with a total-etch technique using Single Bond dental adhesive (3M ESPE) and a dual-cured resin cement (RelyX ARC Adhesive Resin Cement, 3M ESPE). Two examiners evaluated the inlays using modified U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) criteria at six months, one year, two years and three years. RESULTS No sensitivity was reported for either material at any recall period. There was no significant difference between the two materials relative to margin adaptation at three years. Margin adaptation initially was very good for both materials, with an increase in margin detection due to apparent wear of the resin-based composite luting agent. There was a significant difference in color match between the two materials at three years, with 91.4 percent of the resin-based composite inlays and 58.8 percent of the porcelain inlays rated Alfa. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS The resin-based composite inlays had a significantly better color match at three years than did the porcelain inlays. Resin-based composite CAD/CAM inlays performed as well as porcelain CAD/CAM inlays after three years of clinical service.