Postoperative tooth sensitivity with a new self-adhesive resin cement--a randomized clinical trial.

Objectives: This study evaluated and compared sensitivity of teeth after cementation of full-coverage crowns with a new self-adhesive resin cement (SARC). A resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) served as control.

Materials And Methods: Eighty-eight full-coverage crowns were cemented to vital teeth with either the self-adhesive cement iCem (Heraeus Kulzer; n = 44) or the RMGIC GC Fuji PLUS (GC, n = 44). Before preparations, patients were questioned for sensitivity (patient sensitivity, PS). In addition, air was blown for 2 s onto the buccal cementoenamel junction (air sensitivity, AS), and ice spray was applied in the cementoenamel junction area (ice sensitivity, IS). Patient responses were recorded with a visual analog scale. After cementation of the crowns, patients were recalled for follow-up (f/u) visits at 1 day, 1 week, and 3 weeks. PS, AS, and IS were recorded during each visit. Data were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U tests.

Results: The two groups revealed comparable sensitivity scores at baseline. SARC showed significantly lower PS sensitivity scores at 1 day (p = 0.02) and significantly lower AS scores at 1-week follow-up (p = 0.01). IS generally produced the highest sensitivity scores with SARC revealing significantly lower scores at all follow-up visits.

Conclusion: Cementation of crowns with the SARC tested in this study resulted in overall lower postoperative sensitivity than with the RMGIC.

Clinical Relevance: Among other clinical advantages, some self-adhesive resin cements seem to lower postoperative sensitivity of crowned teeth.