RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of simulated tooth brushing (STB) on the surface roughness of microhybrid and nanofilled resin composites following different finishing and polishing procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety cylindrical-shaped specimens of Filtek Supreme XT (a universal nano resin composite) and Filtek Z250 (a universal microhybrid resin composite) were prepared. The specimens were allocated at random into 9 paired groups each of 10 specimens. The finishing and polishing systems included were Tungsten Carbide bur (TC); Diamond bur (Db); Sof-Lex discs (S); PoGo discs (PG); TCâ¯+â¯S; Dbâ¯+â¯S; TCâ¯+â¯PG; Dbâ¯+â¯PG. Polymerisation against a Mylar strip without finishing and polishing acted as the control. Surface roughness was measured using a 3D non-contact optical profilometer and surface morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy. Specimens were subjected to the equivalent of four years STB and surface roughness was measured again. RESULTS: Mylar formed surfaces were the smoothest for both composites before and after STB. Finishing with the diamond finishing bur caused significantly greater surface irregularity (pâ¯<â¯0.0001) before and after STB compared to the tungsten carbide bur. The surface treatment with Dbâ¯+â¯PG resulted in significantly greater surface roughness following STB than all other regimes of finishing and polishing (pâ¯<â¯0.01). CONCLUSION: Where indicated clinically, ï¬nishing is better conducted using a tungsten carbide bur rather than a diamond ï¬nishing bur. The combination of tungsten carbide bur/Enhance PoGo and tungsten carbide bur/Sof-Lex surface protocols produced a similarly smooth finish for both composites. The composite surfaces in all groups increased in surface irregularity following STB. CLINICAL SIGNIï¬CANCE: Whilst ï¬nishing using a tungsten carbide ï¬nishing bur followed by either the Sof-Lex or PoGo polishing system may be found to result in a smooth surface ï¬nish, all the surfaces investigated increased in surface roughness following toothbrushing.