The first purpose of present study was to compare the anticariogenic effect of compomer, resin modified glass ionomer cement and composite (RMGIC).

The second purpose was to evaluate the recently introduced methods, which use confocal scanning microscope, in detecting initial caries around restoration.

2×4×1.5mm cavities were prepared from the recently extracted 50 human teeth on the buccal or lingual surface. The prepared teeth were randomly devided into 5 groups and restored with each filling material. Group 1: Dyract AP, Group 2: compoglass F, Group 3: F2000, Group 4: Z100, Group 5:Fuji Ⅱ LC. The teeth were stored for 30 days in the distilled water, then stored in the buffer solution for artificial caries development; pH 4.3, lactic acid 100 mM, calcium 16 mM, phosphate 8mM, sodium azide 3mM. Then, the samples were sectioned longitudinally and examined with confical scanning microscope. The results showed that the use of compomer and resin modified glass ionomer cement showed caries inhibition zone whereas the composite did not. There was no difference in the width of caries inhibition zone between compomers and RMGIC. The confocal scanning microscope was useful in detecting initial caries around restoration.