Color and translucency stability of CAD/CAM restorative materials

Abstract

Aim: This study assessed the color and translucency stability of a polymer infiltrated ceramic network (PICN) and compared it with a resin composite (RC) and a feldspathic ceramic (FEL). Methods: Disc-shaped samples of a PICN (Vita Enamic), a feldspathic ceramic (Vitablocks Mark II), and a resin composite (Brava block) were prepared from CAD/CAM blocks. PICN and RC surfaces were finished with a sequence of polishing discs and diamond paste. FEL samples received a glaze layer. The samples were subjected to 30-min immersions in red wine twice a day for 30 days. CIEL*a*b* coordinates were assessed with a spectrophotometer at baseline and after 15 and 30 days of immersion. Color alteration (ΔE00) and translucency parameter (TP00) were calculated with CIEDE2000. Average roughness was measured before the staining procedures. Color difference and translucency data were analyzed with repeated-measures ANOVA and Tukey’s tests. Roughness was analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: Roughness was similar among the experimental groups. All materials had their color alteration significantly increased from 15 to 30 days of staining. PICN reached an intermediate ΔE00 between FEL and RC at 15 days. PICN revealed a color alteration as high as the composite after 30 days. No statistical difference was observed regarding translucency. Conclusion: PICN was not as color stable as the feldspathic ceramic at the end of the study. Its color alteration was comparable to the resin composite when exposed to red wine. However, the translucency of the tested materials was stable throughout the 30-day staining.