Color stability of computer aided design and computer aided manufacture composite ceramic/resin cements after accelerated ageing

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the color stability of computer aided design and computer aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) composite ceramic/resin cements after accelerated ageing. Methods: Twelve groups (ten samples each group) were used as experimental groups, which were composed of CAD/CAM composite ceramic of three kinds of thickness (0.50, 0.75, 1.00 mm) (Lava Ultimate) associated with resin cements (Variolink N) of four colors (A1, A3, T, BL1). Another three groups of CAD/CAM composite ceramic/resin cements of three different kinds of thickness (0.50, 0.75, 1.00 mm) were used as control groups (ten samples each group). All samples were put into the xenon lamp ageing instrument to implement accelerated ageing. Spectrophotometers were used to measure the lightness (L(*)), red green color value (a(*)) and blue yellow color value (b(*)) of all samples before and after accelerated ageing process, and the changes of color variation (ΔE) was calculated. The effect of composite ceramic thickness and resin cement color on the changes of color variation (ΔE) before and after the ageing of CAD/CAM composite ceramic/resin cement and whether there was an interaction between them were tested by two-way ANOVA. Results: Before and after accelerated ageing, the ΔE of CAD/CAM composite ceramic/resin cements were <3.3. Two-way ANOVA showed that the thickness of CAD/CAM composite ceramics had an effect on ΔE (F=27.025, P<0.001), and the color of resin cement also had an effect on ΔE (F=15.606, P<0.001), but there was no interaction between them (F=0.534, P=0.829). Conclusions: The thickness of CAD/CAM composite ceramics and the color of resin cements could both affect the color stability of composite ceramic/resin cements combination. However, the resulted color change is within the clinically acceptable range.