Post-cementation colorimetric evaluation of the interaction between the thickness of ceramic veneers and the shade of resin cement.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the color parameters (CIELab*) after the cementation of ceramic disks of different thicknesses onto a resin substrate using four different shades of resin cements, and determine the color difference (ΔE) between the adhesively cemented disks and a 10 mm-thick A1 shade ceramic control (target color). METHODS: Ceramic disks, simulating laminate veneers, with thicknesses of 0.5, 0.7 and 1.0 mm (shade A1, IPS Classic) were fabricated (n = 40) and cemented with a dual-cured resin cement (Variolink II, shades A1, bleach, opaque and transparent) onto 120 2 mm-thick resin composite substrates (shade A3.5, Adoro). Each ceramic disk was photocured for 80 seconds. The determination of the CIELab* parameters of each ceramic-cement-substrate set was performed with a spectrophotometer. A 10 mm-thick A1 ceramic disk was used as a control. The results for the color difference (ΔE) obtained from L*, a* and b* parameters were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The ΔE values ranged from 2.46 (1.0 mm, opaque cement) to 12.11 (0.5 mm, A1 cement). The opaque cement showed the lower ΔE values, followed by the bleach, transparent and A1 cements. With respect to the thickness of the ceramic, color differences between the target color and the group with 1.0 mm ceramic disks were smaller for all cement shades tested. Only the combination of 1.0 mm ceramic disks cemented with the opaque cement was able to mask the background color (ΔE < 3.7). The color differences between the control and the specimens cemented with opaque resin cement were smaller in comparison with the bleach, transparent and A1 cements.

Influence of the interposition of ceramic spacers on the degree of conversion and the hardness of resin cements.

This study evaluated: I) the effect of photo-activation through ceramics on the degree of conversion (DC) and on the Knoop hardness (KHN) of light- and dual-cured resin cements; and II) two different protocols for obtaining the spectra of uncured materials, to determine the DC of a dual-cured resin cement. Thin films of cements were photo-activated through ceramics [feldspathic porcelain (FP); lithium disilicate glass-ceramics of low translucency (e.max-LT), medium opacity (e.max-MO) and high translucency (e.max-HT); glass-infiltrated alumina composite (IC) and polycrystalline zirconia (ZR)] with thicknesses of 1.5 and 2.0 mm. DC was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Two protocols were used to obtain the spectra of the uncured materials: I) base and catalyst pastes were mixed, and II) thin films of base and catalyst pastes were obtained separately, and an average was obtained. KHN assessment was performed with cylindrical specimens. The results were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test (α= 0.05). The light-cured cement showed higher DC (61.9%) than the dual-cured cement (55.7%). The DC varied as follows: FP (65.4%), e.max-HT (65.1%), e.max-LT (61.8%), e.max-MO (60.9%), ZR (54.8%), and IC (44.9%). The light-cured cement showed lower KHN (22.0) than the dual-cured (25.6) cement. The cements cured under 1.5 mm spacers showed higher KHN (26.2) than when polymerized under 2.0 mm ceramics (21.3). Regarding the two protocols, there were significant differences only in three groups. Thus, both methods can be considered appropriate. The physical and mechanical properties of resin cements may be affected by the thickness and microstructure of the ceramic material interposed during photo-activation.

Influence of the interposition of ceramic spacers on the degree of conversion and the hardness of resin cements

This study evaluated: I) the effect of photo-activation through ceramics on the degree of conversion (DC) and on the Knoop hardness (KHN) of light- and dual-cured resin cements; and II) two different protocols for obtaining the spectra of uncured materials, to determine the DC of a dual-cured resin cement. Thin films of cements were photo-activated through ceramics [feldspathic porcelain (FP); lithium disilicate glass-ceramics of low translucency (e.max-LT), medium opacity (e.max-MO) and high translucency (e.max-HT); glass-infiltrated alumina composite (IC) and polycrystalline zirconia (ZR)] with thicknesses of 1.5 and 2.0 mm. DC was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Two protocols were used to obtain the spectra of the uncured materials: I) base and catalyst pastes were mixed, and II) thin films of base and catalyst pastes were obtained separately, and an average was obtained. KHN assessment was performed with cylindrical specimens. The results were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey's test (α= 0.05). The light-cured cement showed higher DC (61.9%) than the dual-cured cement (55.7%). The DC varied as follows: FP (65.4%), e.max-HT (65.1%), e.max-LT (61.8%), e.max-MO (60.9%), ZR (54.8%), and IC (44.9%). The light-cured cement showed lower KHN (22.0) than the dual-cured (25.6) cement. The cements cured under 1.5 mm spacers showed higher KHN (26.2) than when polymerized under 2.0 mm ceramics (21.3). Regarding the two protocols, there were significant differences only in three groups. Thus, both methods can be considered appropriate. The physical and mechanical properties of resin cements may be affected by the thickness and microstructure of the ceramic material interposed during photo-activation.