Marginal adaptation with glass-ceramic inlays adhesively luted with glycerine gel

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of glycerine gels in preventing the formation of an oxygen-inhibition layer during the polymerization of composite resin materials. Sixteen glass-ceramic inlays were adhesively luted with and without the application of glycerine gels on the inlay margins before the polymerization of the luting composite resin material. To remove the oxygen-inhibition layer, the inlays were brushed with acetone. Replicas were obtained before and after acetone brushing, and a computerized quantitative marginal analysis was carried out under the scanning electron microscope. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between the polymerization with and the polymerization without the use of a glycerine gel. The inlay margins polymerized after the application of a glycerine gel showed better marginal adaptation than did the inlay margins polymerized without it, suggesting that oxygen inhibition during polymerization can be prevented by the application of glycerine gels to the surface of composite resin materials.