Evaluation of Surface Roughness of Composite Resins

Abstract

SUMMARY Objective: To evaluate the effects of finishing and polishing on the surface roughness of the following composites – Esthet X (Dentsply) Filtek A-110 (3M ESPE) and Herculite XRV (Kerr). Material and Methods: For each group, ten specimens were produced, with the aid of a circular matrix, and submitted to roughness evaluation through a surface roughness measuring instrument – Surscorber SE1700 – before and after the final finishing and polishing. The samples were analyzed by a single examiner who aimed at obtaining the closest register to the intersection of lines derived from measurements done in three different planes (vertical, horizontal and diagonal). The instrument had a trace of 2mm and a velocity of 0.1 mm /s. For each sample, three measurements were obtained and the average was calculated. Then, the same samples were polished during 15 seconds with fine and extra- fine Soft-lex (3M ESPE) disks, which were substituted after every 5th sample. Results: Through statistical analysis by the Kruskal-Wallis test, a statistical difference was achieved among the three resins after polishing. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the best finishing and polishing were provided by the Esthet-X resin (Dentsply), followed by Filtek A110 (3M ESPE and Herculite XRV, respectively. DESCRIPTORS Composite resins. Dental polishing. Dental materials..