Method: Twenty specimens (8mm diameter X 2mm thickness) of each material were prepared and separated into two groups (n=10) according to the surface treatment : Group 1- polymerization through a polyester film strip and polishing with water sandpaper in decreasing abrasiveness; and Group 2- polymerization through a polyester film strip, without any polishing. After immersion in distilled water 37° for 24 hours, baseline color of all specimens was measured using reflectance spectrophotometer (EasyShade-Vita) with CIEL*a*b* system, surface roughness was also measured using a surface roughness device (SJ-201P Mitutoyo, Japan). After baseline measurements, the specimens were exposed to smoke from 20 cigarettes (Marlboro-Philip Morris) in 10 minutes each, between one cigarette and other, the specimens were submitted to brushing in a standardized device and washed with water. After the action of the total number of cigarettes, final measurements of color and surface roughness were performed. Values of DE, DL, Da e Db were statistically analyzed using 2 way ANOVA and Bonferroni Test (p<0.05). Values of average surface roughness (Ra) were analyzed separately for each type of material (t Student, p < 0.05).
Result: It was found that the composite Tetric N-Ceram showed increased of surface roughness and greater color change in clinically unacceptable levels (DE>3,3), in comparison with the other composites when used the polyester strip without polishing.
Conclusion: The absence of polishing increases the cigarette staining and surface roughness on all composites except for Filtek P90.