The reliability of microleakage studies using dog and bovine primary teeth instead of human primary teeth.

Aim: This was to investigate if dental restorations on human, dog and bovine primary teeth are equitable for microleakage analysis, and the respective marginal adaptation deficiency in in vitro conditions.

Materials And Methods: In order to determine the level of microleakage in Class V poly acid-modified composite restorations of human, dog and bovine primary teeth, samples were evaluated by dye-leakage method in sections of the inner area of the restorations.

Results: We found no leakage in 6 out of 10 (60%) human restorations, in 7 out of 10 (70%) of dog and in 7 out of 10 (70%) of bovine teeth. The levels of dye-microleakage were tested with Kruskal-Wallis one-way variant analysis method. The relative leakage differences were not statistically significant among all species (p>0.05).

Conclusion: We concluded that dog and bovine primary teeth might be suitable for in vitro studies instead of human ones.