Use of fluorescent compounds in assessing bonded resin-based restorations: A literature review

Objectives: This work reviews fundamental concepts involved with fluorescent imaging in the dental materials field. Data: Fluorescent dyes have been widely used: incorporated into adhesive system components, placed in the pulp chamber and allowed to diffuse toward the restorative interface, as well as used as a visible tracer in microleakage tests. Conclusions: Although use of fluorescent imaging has substantially contributed to the existing knowledge base, there is no standardized methodology used, and as a result, interpretation of study results as well as comparison of results among studies remains questionable.