In vitro effect of topical fluoride on dental porcelain

Fifty-seven porcelain samples were randomly subjected to a variety of topical fluorides for time intervals of 4 to 64 minutes. Half of each porcelain surface was masked to prevent contact with the fluoride. Measurements of roughness were made for the fluoride-treated and the untreated porcelain surfaces to evaluate the effect of the different fluoride preparations over time. The resulting surfaces were also examined using an SEM. Conclusions from this study include the following. Statistically significant differences in roughness were found among surfaces exposed to 1.23% acidulated phosphate fluoride gel, 8% stannous fluoride, and the control surfaces. There were no significant differences in roughness between the test and control surfaces with 0.05%, 0.2%, and 2% sodium fluoride solutions or 0.4% stannous fluoride gel. The dentist should be aware of the potentially deleterious effects of prescribing or administering a topical fluoride for patients with porcelain/metal restorations.