Effect of Polishing on Color and Roughness of Aged Composites

Objectives: This in vitro study aimed to assess the surface roughness and color stability of different composite resins after polishing with different polishing systems following exposure to coffee and thermal cycling aging.
Methods: In our study, the surface roughness and color values of FiltekUltimate Universal(Enamel,FUU), ClearfillMajestyES-2(CME), PalfiqueEstelitePaste(PEP), G-ænialUniversalInjectable(GUI), TetricPowerFill(TPF) composite resins were analyzed. Two hundred samples were polished with 4 polishing systems (OneGloss(OG), ZenitFlex(ZF), ClearfillTwistDia(CTD), NovaTwist(NT)). Measurements made without any surface treatment were accepted as the control group. After the samples were polished with polishing systems, roughness and color change values were measured. Then, after exposure to coffee and thermal cycle aging, and after polishing with polishing systems after aging, the roughness and color changes of all samples were measured. Statistical analyses were performed using One-way ANOVA and Post Hoc tests.
Results: When color change was compared with the control group after exposure in coffee and thermal cycling; FUU showed the most color change in other polishing systems except ZF, and PEP showed the most color change in the ZF group(p<0.05). When the surface roughness of each composite was compared in the 4 polishing systems, significant differences were observed in OG polished FUU, CME, TPF(p<0.05). When the roughness changes between the polishing systems and the composites were compared, a higher roughness change was found only in CME polished with OG(p<0.05). When the composite samples were polished again after aging, it was observed that the OG polishing system had a higher roughness value in all composite groups(p<0.05). In all composite resins polished after aging, the color change showed statistically significant variations according to the polishing systems(p<0.05).
Conclusions: The study highlighted the variability in the impact of polishing aged composites on roughness and color change based on the composite type and polishing systems.