Abstract
In recent years, concern with the elution of exogenous endocrine disrupters from dental high polymer material has resulted in a call for dental materials that are not based on bisphenol-A. The present investigation therefore focused on natural resins as a substitute for conventional sealants and the possibility of their use as a dental material was examined.
The material used in this study was a purified form of a resinous material that is secreted by Laccifer lacca (an insect found in subtropical regions) and is a natural resin that is commonly known as shellac. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the usefulness of shellac as a sealant. Adherence to enamel and durability were observed through thermal cycling tests. In addition, marginal sealing properties and the effect of etching were also examined. The results indicated the following
1. The shellac coating formed on the enamel surface displayed resistance to thermal loads exerted by the thermal cycling test.
2. A 40% shellac concentration improved marginal sealing of voids in small pits and fissures.
3. Etching had no effect on the marginal sealing property of shellac. Although further investigation is necessary, the results of this study suggest that shellac possesses great possibility as a new type of dental material if improvements in its physical properties are made.
