Translucency of varied brand and shade of resin composites

To measure and classify the translucency of varied brands and shades of resin composites.

Eight light-curing resin composites, with a total of 41 shades, were investigated. The color of specimens, 12 mm in diameter and 1 mm in thickness, was measured after polymerization on a reflection spectrophotometer with the SCE geometry under the illuminant D65 over white and black backgrounds. The translucency parameter (TP) and contrast ratio (CR) were calculated and compared. The influence of shade on TP values in each brand of resin composites was analyzed with one-way ANOVA.

The range of TP values varied from 8.5 to 20.6, which was significantly influenced by the shade designation of resin composites (P < 0.05). In each brand, TP values varied by the shade designation. The range of mean translucency parameter value by the shade group, such as A1, A2, A3, A3.5 and B2 group, was 15.4 to 17.2. Translucency parameter was highly correlated with mean contrast ratio value (r = -0.84).