Clinical performance evaluation of single-shade versus multi-shade composite resins in non-carious cervical lesions:...

Composite resins are widely used as the material of choice for definitive restorations due to their ability to integrate functional and aesthetic aspects in dental rehabilitation. Recently, one-shade composite resins have been introduced to simplify the clinical workflow.

This study aimed to compare the clinical performance of a "chameleon effect" composite resin with that of a multi-shade composite resin in non-carious cervical lesions after 36 months of follow-up.

This study was a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial with an equivalence design using a split-mouth approach. The sample consisted of 60 patients presenting at least two non-carious cervical lesions, totaling 120 restorations. Restorations were performed using two materials from the same commercial brand: Vittra Unique (one-shade group) and Vittra APS (multi-shade group). The clinical performance of the restorations was longitudinally evaluated according to the FDI criteria. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test, while other clinical parameters were compared using the chi-square test (α = 0.05).

At baseline, no statistically significant differences were observed between the groups regarding the evaluated biological, functional, and aesthetic parameters (p > 0.05). Both materials demonstrated clinically acceptable performance according to the FDI criteria, with no significant differences between them.

After 36 months, no significant differences were observed between the one-shade and the multi-shade composite resins in the restoration of non-carious cervical lesions.

This 36-month randomized clinical trial demonstrates that single-shade composite resins achieve structural durability and aesthetic integration equivalent to traditional multi-shade layering when restoring non-carious cervical lesions. This evidence validates a simplified, single-shade restorative workflow, significantly reducing chairside time and operator-dependent variables without compromising the clinical longevity.