Abstract
The goals of this study were to measure the water sorption (WS) and solubility (SO) of 3 composite resins containing different filler contents. Additionally, the size, shape, type and other characteristics of fillers were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Three composites, classified according to filler size, were selected: Filtek Supreme nanofill (3M/ESPE), Esthet-X minifill (Dentsply/Caulk) and Renamel microfill (Cosmedent Inc.). Ten disk-shaped specimens of each resin composite were made and stored in desiccators until constant mass was achieved. Specimens were then stored in water for 7 days, and the mass of each specimen was measured. The specimens were dried again and dried specimen mass determined. The WS and SO were calculated from these measurements. Data analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test (alpha=0.05). Composite filler particles were observed under SEM after removal of resin matrix by organic solvents. WS values were not significantly different among the resins; however, SO values were lower for Filtek Supreme. The materials presented differences in filler contents (e.g. particle size and shape). The composite resins had similar WS, while the SO was lower for the nanofill than for mini and microfill resins. The filler characteristics varied and were different among the materials.
Highlights
In current clinical restorative treatment many types of resin composites are available for the replacement of natural tooth tissues
The amount of water that composite resins can absorb depends on the hydrophilicity of polymeric matrices and filler composition [8,9,18,19]
The composites tested in this study showed similar water sorption (WS) mean values after one week of water storage and these values can be considered as lower and adequate for resin-based filler materials
Summary
In current clinical restorative treatment many types of resin composites are available for the replacement of natural tooth tissues. Composites consist mainly of filler particles and a resin matrix based on different monomers. Clinical applications and communications, composite resins are traditionally classified on the basis of filler particle size, i.e. macrofill, hybrid and microfill. Water sorption and solubility are important properties of composite resins and influence their strength, abrasion resistance, volume and color stability [8,11,12,13,14,15]. As a consequence of the high water sorption and solubility of restorative resins, studies have related a decreased mechanical properties and reduced longevity of composite restorations [8,12,13,16]
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