Printing Parameters and Surface Treatments on Color and Translucency Stability

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Additive Manufacturing
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Additive manufacturing (AM) is increasingly used in dentistry.
• The color and translucency stability of 3D-printed resin-based materials require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of printing orientation, specimen thickness, and surface treatments on the color and translucency stability of 3D-printed resin-ceramic materials.
• To assess the clinical applicability of AM resin-ceramic restorations.

Main Methods:

• Ninety AM specimens were fabricated with varying printing orientations and thicknesses, alongside two surface treatments.
• Specimens underwent thermocycling (5000 cycles, 5-55 °C) to simulate aging.
• Color change, translucency change, degree of conversion, water sorption, and surface roughness were measured.

Main Results:

• Printing orientation and specimen thickness significantly impacted color and translucency changes, with 90° orientation showing better stability.
• Surface treatments had minimal effect on stability but influenced water sorption and surface roughness.
• All tested conditions remained within clinically acceptable limits for color and translucency.

Conclusions:

• Additive manufactured resin-ceramic materials demonstrate potential for definitive dental restorations.
• Optimizing printing parameters like orientation and thickness can improve the stability of AM restorations.
• Further research supports the clinical use of these advanced dental materials.