05 May 2020

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How beverages can cause changes in color and translucency of CAD/CAM resin composite

Simona Chirico

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The use of CAD/CAM composite resin blocks is a valid alternative to the ceramic ones in restorative and prosthetic dentistry. In fact, as we can see in all the studies of these last years, CAD/CAM composite resin blocks have mechanical and aesthetic properties similar to the ceramic ones. Moreover, the mechanical properties of these materials were found to be close to those of enamel.  But, if we want to consider the color stability and translucency of these materials, can we say they react in the same way of enamel and dentin? Barutçugil et al in their study, published on the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, investigated how the color stability and translucency could change CAD/CAM resin composite after immersion in water, red wine, and coffee for up to 30 days.  

Materials and methods
35 rectangular specimens, with 1.5mm thickness, were prepared form 3 types of different CAD/CAM resin composite blocks: 3M Lava Ultimate(LU), GC Cerasmart(CS), VITA Enamic(VE).
The specimens were divided into 3 subgroups (n=15 in each) and then they were immersed in distilled water, red wine, and coffee for 30 days. CDifferent parameter were analyzed and obtained after 24 hours and 1 month, such as: color, translucency, contrast ratio.
The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests and the Wilcoxon, Freidman, and repeated measurement ANOVA tests were used for statistical analysis (a=.05).  

Results
After 24 hours in the three drink, none of the materials showed clinically perceptible color changes, except GC cerasmart (CS) specimens immersed in coffee for 24 hours.
The materials immersed in red wine and coffee for 1 month showed greater discoloration than those immersed in water (P<.05).
The Lava Ultimate (LU) immersed in red wine showed the highest translucency changes. The VITA Enamic (VE) was more resistant to translucency changes, as compared with the other materials tested.
The contrast ratio values of the Lava Ultimate (LU) material were higher than those of the GC Cerasmart (CS) and Vita ENAMIC (VE) materials in all the beverages.  

Conclusions
After 24 hours of immersion in coffee and red wine, any variation in color and translucency were observed in all the CAD/CAM restorations. Instead, after 1 month they registered high discoloration and increasing of opacity.
Therefore it is very important to properly clean the surfaces of these restorations and avoid the accumulation of pigmented substances in order to avoid discoloration problems for CAD/CAM restoration.

For additional information: Discoloration and translucency changes of CAD-CAM materials after exposure to beverages.