Immediate dentin sealing: current concepts, clinical workflow, and evidence-based applications

Immediate Dentin Sealing (IDS) has become an essential clinical protocol aimed at optimizing adhesive bonding in indirect restorations due to increasing demands for durable restorations, reduced postoperative complications, and improved patient satisfaction in restorative dentistry. This comprehensive review systematically examines the underlying principles, varied application techniques, and clinical implications associated with IDS. This narrative review was conducted by searching PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for relevant in vitro and clinical studies, using the search terms: immediate dentin sealing, IDS, dentin bonding, indirect restorations, and adhesive dentistry. Current evidence from both in vitro and clinical studies is thoroughly reviewed, emphasizing the superior bond strength, enhanced long-term bond durability, reduced dentin permeability, and decreased postoperative sensitivity achieved with IDS compared to delayed dentin sealing. Various adhesive strategies, including etch-and-rinse and self-etch systems, as well as adjunctive methods such as the application of flowable resin liners, are critically evaluated. Clinical investigations consistently report favorable outcomes concerning patient comfort, restoration longevity, and structural integrity when IDS protocols are employed. The evidence suggests that IDS may offer meaningful clinical advantages, supporting its consideration as a reliable and promising approach in contemporary restorative dentistry; however, the evidence should be interpreted in light of existing methodological limitations, and further long-term clinical studies are warranted.