Jemds.com Review Article J. Evolution Med. Dent. Sci./eISSN- 2278-4802, pISSN- 2278-4748/ Vol. 9/ Issue 12/ Mar. 23, 2020 Page 1006 Microleakage in Composite Resin Restoration- A Review Article Saurabh Dinesh Rathi 1 , Pradnya Nikhade 2 , Manoj Chandak 3 , Nidhi Motwani 4 , Chanchal Rathi 5 , Madhulika Chandak 6 1 Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Wardha, Maharashtra, India. 2 Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Wardha, Maharashtra, India. 3 Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Wardha, Maharashtra, India. 4 Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Wardha, Maharashtra, India. 5 Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Wardha, Maharashtra, India. 6 Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Wardha, Maharashtra, India. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND The most important feature that a material must have is sufficient, long term sealing of the restorative margins. No restorative material developed to date is completely adhesive to the tooth structure. Every restorative material allows some degree of passage of fluids and micronutrients through it. It is termed as Leakage. By definition Micro leakage is “the clinically undetectable passage of bacteria, fluids, molecules or ions between a cavity wall and the restorative material”. It is the flow of a substance into a defect at the interface of restoration and tooth margin. Marginal leakage around restorative margins has been a concern with various clinical conditions. It includes quickening of the breakdown and dissolution of restorative materials. Marginal staining leads to collapse of margins, compromise in aesthetics and with time the need to substitute the restoration. Microleakage depends on several variables like dimensional change of restorative material mainly because of thermal contraction, polymerisation shrinkage, water sorption, mechanical stresses and dimensional changes of tooth. Almost all microleakage studies suggested that the majority of the materials accessible currently leak meaning that they allow penetration of dyes, radioisotopes, or bacteria. Microleakage can be calculated by various in vitro methods with or without thermocycling like staining, SEM, chemical agents, neutron activation analysis, ionization, autoradiography, radioisotope, and reversible radioactive adsorption. Reducing the marginal leakage and enhancing the marginal adaptation involves various factors like choice or combinations of materials, use of cavity liner or base, cavity design or configuration factor changes, acid etching and bonding, technique of restoration placement, direct or indirect techniques, sealing the marginal gaps, and different curing strategies. This article describes in depth the knowledge about various aspects of leakage such as sequelae and causes of microleakage, methods of detection of microleakage in vitro as well as clinically, and the measures taken to reduce or decrease the microleakage when restoring tooth with resin-based restorations. KEY WORDS Microleakage, Marginal Leakage, Composite Resin Corresponding Author: Dr. Saurabh Rathi, #103, Department of Dentistry, Sharad Pawar Dental College, Sawangi, Meghe, Wardha, Maharashtra, India. E-mail: saurorathi@gmail.com DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2020/216 Financial or Other Competing Interests: None. How to Cite This Article: Rathi SD, Nikhade P, Chandak M, et al. Microleakage in composite resin restoration- a review article. J. Evolution Med. Dent. Sci. 2020;9(12):1006-1011, DOI: 10.14260/jemds/2020/216 Submission 28-12-2019, Peer Review 26-02-2020, Acceptance 04-03-2020, Published 23-03-2020.