Laurence is a copywriter and trained journalist. His passion is creating insightful and educational content for dental professionals of every level. Outside of work, he enjoys watching sport, quizzing and spending time with his family.
Why Is Radiopacity Important In Dental Adhesives?
There are many properties that clinicians look for when selecting a dental adhesive. These include bond strength, adhesive capabilities to different materials, ease of use and suitability for use with various etching techniques. It is also essential to assess the material’s radiopacity and we look at why this is.
Traditional restorative materials such as amalgam or gold are completely radiopaque, preventing x-rays from passing through. This makes it simple for clinicians to distinguish them from natural tooth structures, aiding the diagnosis of defects like fractures, voids, marginal problems, secondary caries and over-contouring. Even the natural tissues feature some radiopacity, though it is more apparent in enamel than in dentine due to the concentrations of hydroxyapatite present in each layer. Acid produced by oral bacteria during the formation of caries releases hydroxyapatite from the dental tissues, meaning that carious lesions can often be identified on an x-ray due to their lower radiopacity.
1 H. Loll, O. Brinkmann, B. Anich, K. Dede, B., Craig, A.S. Abuelyaman, C. Thalacker. Radiopacity of an experimental universal adhesive, J Dent Res 99 (Spec Iss A):191, IADR, 2020
2 International Standards Organisation ISO 4049: Dentistry – polymer-based restorative materials, 5th edt., ISO, Geneva, 2019
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