This study evaluates the effects of resin infiltrant composition and caries histological zone on the hydrolytic degradation of resininfiltrated artificial bovine enamel caries (RI-AEC). Different resin infiltrants were tested (n=26 per group): Icon (G1); TEGDMA 60%, UDMA 20%, and HEMA 20% (TUH); TEGDMA 80% and HEMA 20% (TH); and TEGDMA 75% and Bis-EMA 25% (TB). Following caries infiltration, samples were cut perpendicularly, and transverse microhardness were analyzed (at two histological zones: surface layer and lesion body) before and after 21 days of water immersion. TB presented lower decrease in microhardness (due to hydrolytic degradation) than the other groups, with a large effect size (Hedge's G from 0.83 to 1.19) and high power (84 to 99%). Neither histological zone nor its interaction with resin infiltrant composition significantly affected the outcome. In conclusion, resin composition affected microhardness of RI-AEC upon water immersion, and TB was the least affected.
Keywords: Enamel caries; Histopathology; Infiltrant; Resin monomers.