Introduction Increasing requirements for durable fillings and marginal integrity have influenced the development
of new materials and restorative techniques. Contemporary demands for esthetic restorations have encouraged the
development of new composite material “self-etch flowable composite”. The aim of this study was to test the marginal
seal in small Class V cavities after restoration with self etch flowable composite material Vertise Flow and flowable
composite Tetric Flow, both polymerised using conventional light-curing technique.
Material and Methods The study was conducted on 40 extracted human teeth (20 intact, 20 carious). Each group
included 10 premolars and 10 molars. In all teeth two cavities class V of diameter 3×2×2 mm were prepared (buccal
and lingual surface). On the buccal surface the cavities were filled with self etch flowable composite Vertise Flow (Kerr
Dental Products), and on the lingual surface with flowable composite Tetric Flow (Ivoclar Vivadent) using appropriate
adhesive system. Polymerisation was performed using LED lamp (Ivoclar Vivadent). Microleakage was tested with silver
nitrate solution. Using stereoloupe with micrometer scale and six times magnification dye penetration was measured.
Results Mean dye penetration in intact molars restored with Vertise Flow was 3.41 μm, while in intact molars restored
with Tetric Flow it was 4.23 μm. In intact premolars restored with Vertise Flow, the average dye penetration was 1.14
μm and in intact premolars restored with Tetric Flow it was 3.90 μm. Dye penetration in carious molars restored with
Vertise Flow and polymerised using conventional polymerization technique was 3.66 μm, while using Tetric Flow it
was 7.94 μm. In carious premolars restored with Vertise Flow dye penetration was 3.97 μm, while with Tetric Flow it
was 7.12 μm. The total dye penetration was lower in intact compared to carious teeth. Greater dye penetration was
found in molars compared to premolars.
Conclusion Vertise Flow showed better quality of bond with hard dental tissue than Tetric Flow when classical polymerization technique was used.
