The effect of artificial accelerated aging on the color stability, microhardness, and surface roughness of different dental laminate veneer materials

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of artificial accelerated aging (AAA) on color stability, surface roughness, and microhardness of three laminate veneer (LV) materials.

Specimens of ceramic LV (CLV-IPS E.max Press), hand-layered composite LV (hand-layered laminate veneer [HLV]-Tetric N-Ceram), and prefabricated composite LV (prefabricated laminate veneer [PLV]-Componeer Coltene) were prepared as discs (n = 10). CIE L*, a*, and b* color coordinates, the Vickers microhardness, and surface roughness were measured 24 hours after preparation and reevaluated after aging for 300 hours in an ultraviolet (UV)-AAA system (Ci35 Weather-Ometer). Color difference (CIEDE2000 [ΔE₀₀ ]) was calculated. Data were statistically analyzed with the Shapiro-Wilk test and the Kruskall-Wallis test followed by the Mann-Whitney U tests (α = .05).

All of the LV groups showed significant differences in ΔE₀₀ after AAA (P < .001). Comparing the color changes of the HLVs with the PLVs, no significant difference could be found (P = .705). There was a statistically significant difference in the means of changes in microhardness among the LVs materials (P < .001). The changes in surface roughness results showed a significant difference after AAA in all the LVs (P < .001).

Within the limitations of this in vitro study, the color stability, the microhardness, and surface roughness of tested LVs were influenced by AAA.

The prefabricated composite LV system does not replace the individualized ceramic LV technique, but rather offers an alternative to hand-layered LVs, which is delicate and time-consuming technique.