Do Composites Induce Secondary Caries Formation?-A Review

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to review literature with regard to secondary caries around composite restorations to obtain better insights in the mechanisms behind secondary caries with composites. BACKGROUND: Secondary caries, the lesion at the margin of a restoration, has been widely considered as the most important and common reason for restoration replacement, regardless of the restorative material type. The Fédération Dentaire Internationale defined secondary caries as a 'positively diagnosed carious lesion, which occurs at the margins of an existing restoration'. Due to its importance to the longevity of the restorations and human oral health, over the past few decades, multiple studies have been conducted both in vivo and in vitro to understand and prevent secondary caries, including the etiology and histopathology of secondary caries, the detective and diagnostic methods of secondary caries, the relationship between micro leakage and secondary caries, as well as the cariostatic effects of various restorative materials. REASON: The review is done in order to suggest that the restorative material might influence the development of secondary caries in different ways and the preventive measures to reduce secondary caries.