Translucency and color stability of advanced lithium disilicate ceramic material: An in vitro study

The dental restoration can closely resemble the tooth structure around it when the color and translucency are the right combination. Color stability and translucency are critical factors influencing the optical blending of restorations with natural dentition, enhancing their overall esthetics.

This study aimed to compare the translucency and color stability of advanced lithium disilicate (ALD) ceramic material in comparison to conventional lithium disilicate ceramics.

Eighty specimens, measuring 12 mm × 14 mm, were fabricated from two types of ceramics: lithium disilicate glass-ceramic (LDS) and ALD. Two types were used for each material, High translucency (HT) and Medium translucency (MT). The samples were divided into 4 groups (n = 20) based on the material and the translucency. Each group was subsequently separated into two additional subgroups based on thickness, specifically 0.5 and 1.0 mm (n = 10). The translucency parameter (TP) was determined by employing a spectrophotometer to measure color on both white and black backgrounds. The experiment involved subjecting samples with a thickness of 1 mm to a total of 10,000 thermocycles, followed by immersing them in coffee for 12 days. Color change (ΔE) was calculated using CIELAB color coordinates at the initial state, as well as after the application of TC and immersion.

A significant difference in TP existed between LDS (18.16 ± 2.149) and ALD (15.115 ± 0.877) for 0.5 mm thickness (P < 0.05). Color change for both materials was perceivable above ∆E 1.2. Only ALD MT showed ∆E 3.03 above the acceptability threshold.

The translucency of LDS was more than ALD at a thickness of 0.5 mm. In both materials, the color change was above the perceptibility threshold but within the clinical acceptable limits except for ALD MT which had a color change above the clinical acceptability threshold.