Influence of acidulated phosphate fluoride solution on the color stability of indirect composites

Although acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF) agents are known to be useful for caries-preventive interventions, few studies have examined the influence of APF agents on indirect composite materials.

This study examined whether exposure to APF agents affects color stability when a composite is exposed to a common staining agent.

Forty light-polymerized composite disks (8 x 2.0 mm) were fabricated with midifilled (Cesead II; n = 20) and microfilled (Newmetacolor Infis; n = 20) composites. The specimens were polymerized with a light for 90 seconds on each side, ground with silicon carbide paper, finished using a polishing kit, and colorimetrically evaluated to determine baseline L*a *b* values. After storage in distilled water at 37 degrees C for 24 hours, half of the disks for each composite (n = 10) was treated with an APF solution (Fluodent A) for 32 minutes, while the remaining half of the specimens were untreated (controls). Half the treated and untreated specimens were immersed in tea or distilled water (n = 5, respectively), and after 4 weeks color changes were measured. To determine the influence of APF on each composite, the CIE L*a*b* color difference baseline values after 4 weeks were compared using 2- and 1-way analyses of variance and post-hoc Sheffe's S intervals (alpha=.05).

The color differences of both materials when immersed in tea were significantly influenced by APF (P < .05). The mean DeltaE values of APF-treated Cesead II and Newmetacolor Infis immersed in tea were 5.4 +/- 1.2 and 4.5 +/- 1.3, respectively, while the untreated values were 3.8 +/- 0.6 and 3.0 +/- 0.1, respectively. When immersed in water, neither material was affected by APF in respect to change in color.

The color of both composites tested were significantly influenced by APF treatment when immersed in tea, indicating that the in vitro color stability of the indirect composites was negatively affected by applications of APF.