The Role of Lead Shielding in Preventing Gamma Radiation-Induced Microleakage in Nanohybrid Composite Restorations: An In Vitro Study

Gamma radiation adversely affected the marginal integrity of nanohybrid composite restorations, with the control group showing the best performance in terms of minimal microleakage. While lead shielding showed some reduction in microleakage, it was not statistically significant compared with the group without shielding. This highlights the need to optimize radiation shielding strategies to protect dental tissues in patients undergoing head and neck cancer treatment. Further in vivo studies are recommended to evaluate the long-term effects and refine clinical practices for radiation protection.