Three-year Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating ART and Composite Resin Restorations

Objectives: To evaluated the effectiveness of Class II restorations, in permanent teeth, by ART technique and composite resin.
Methods: Participants (154), aged 8 to 19 years, with good general health with Class II cavities in permanent teeth, without pulp involvement and tooth pain, were included in this parallel and randomized clinical trial. The Ethics Committee approval number: CAAE: 24012913.0.1001.5417. Seventy-seven restorations were made with each restorative material (Equia Fil-GC Corporation and Z350-3M/ESPE). Evaluations occured at 6 months, 1, 2 and 3 years by the ART and the USPHS modified criteria. Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitnney, Chi-square, Fisher's Exact, Chi-square tests with linear trend and Logistic Regression by Enter method (p<0.050). The evaluations were performed by two calibrated evaluators (Kappa intra and inter evaluators were higher than 0.80).
Results: At 3-year follow-up 130 participants were evaluated. The main cause of dropout was moving to other cities. According to the modified USPHS criterion, success rates for ART restorations were 98.7% (6 months), 95.8% (1 year), 92.0% (2 years) and 88.7% (3 years) and for composite resin restorations, success rates are 100% (6 months), 98.7% (1 year), 91.5% (2 years) and 92.6% (3 years). According to ART criterion, success rates for ART restorations were 98.7% (6 months), 95.8% (1 year), 90.3% (2 years) and 88.7% (3 years) and for composite resin restorations success rates were 100% (6 months), 98.7% (1 year), 91.5% (2 years) and 91.2% (3 years). The data showed no differences in the Class II restorations success rates between ART and resin composite, in permanent teeth, after 3 years, regardless the criteria (p>0.05).
Conclusions: ART performed similarly to resin composite in Class II restorations, becoming reliable after 3 years period of time.