microleakage /mī′krō·lē′kij/ [Gk, mikros + ONorse leka, to drip] , leakage of minute amounts of salivary fluids, debris, and microorganisms through the microscopic space between a dental restoration or its cement and the adjacent surface of the cavity preparation. It may form a carious lesion and progress through the dentin into the pulp, resulting ultimately in the failure of the restoration and the loss of the tooth.
