Evaluation of the Surface Characteristics of Dental CAD/CAM Materials after Different Surface Treatments

Computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology was developed to ensure the sufficient strength of tooth restorations, to improve esthetic restorations with a natural appearance and to make the techniques easier, faster and more accurate. In the view of the limited research on the surface treatments of the CAD/CAM materials and the need to evaluate the ideal surface characteristics of a material to achieve the best adhesion to tooth tissues, this study aimed to investigate the surface roughness and morphology of four different CAD/CAM materials using four different surface treatments. The CAD/CAM materials used in this study were three composites (Shofu Block HC, Lava Ultimate and Brilliant Crios) and a hybrid ceramic (Enamic). The surface of the specimens of each material received one of the following treatments: no surface treatment, sandblasting with 29 μm Al₂O₃ particles, 9% hydrofluoric acid etching and silane application, and the tribochemical method using CoJet System. Surface roughness was evaluated using optical profilometry, and surface morphology was observed by means of scanning electron microscopy. All surface treatments resulted in higher surface roughness values compared to the control group. Different treatments affected the surface properties of the materials, presumably due to discrepancies in their composition and structure.