Color changes of dental resin composites before and after polymerization and storage in water

The aims of this study were to: (1) evaluate the A2 shades of various types and brands of resin composites to determine if any color differences occurred before and after polymerization and after 1 month of storage in water and (2) examine the correlation among the color changes and changes in Commission internationale de l'éclairage L*, a*, and b* values after polymerization and after 1 month of storage in water. One submicron-hybrid (Spectrum TPH3, DENTSPLY DeTrey, Milford, DE, USA), one nano-filled (Filtek Supreme XT, 3 M ESPE, St. Paul, MN, USA), three micro-hybrid (Filtek Z250, 3 M ESPE; Esthet X, DENTSPLY DeTrey; and Gradia Direct, GC, Tokyo, Japan), and five nano-hybrid (Ceram X, DENTSPLY DeTrey; Clearfil Majesty Esthetics, Kuraray, Osaka, Japan; Premise, Kerr Corporation, Orange, CA, USA; Tetric Evo Ceram, Ivoclar Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein and Tetric N Ceram, Ivoclar Vivadent) light-curing resin composites were tested. The specimens (N = 10 for each composite) were prepared as discs, 12 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness, using round molds. The measurements were performed "before polymerization,""after polymerization," and "after 1 month of storage in water" using a contact type dental spectrophotometer (Vita Easyshade, Vident, Brea, CA, USA). The range of ΔE* values after polymerization (ΔE*1) and storage in water (ΔE*2) were 4.59 to 14.13 and 1.26 to 6.29, respectively. Nested analysis of variance and post hoc tests revealed that the type of resin composites significantly affected Δa*1, Δa*2, Δb*1, Δb*2, ΔE*2-values, whereas the brand of resin composites affected the changes in all color parameters (p < 0.05). In spite of many improvements in chemical compositions and fillers of the contemporary composites, color changes after polymerization were perceptible in all resin composites. However, color changes after storage in water were in the acceptable ranges for all resin composites except Clearfil Majesty Esthetic and Gradia Direct.

In spite of many improvements in chemical compositions and fillers of the contemporary resin composites, the color changes after polymerization were still perceptible in all the resin composites tested in this study, regardless of their types and brands. Such changes may cause esthetic problems clinically, thus should be taken into account when the shade selections are performed. Alternatively, a piece of unpolymerized resin material can be placed on, or adjacent to the tooth to be restored and polymerized to confirm the selected shade of the esthetic material.