Translucency and color match with a shade guide of esthetic brackets with the aid of a spectroradiometer

ABSTRACT Objective: Since the color of esthetic brackets should match that of teeth, the aims of this study were to determine the color and translucency of esthetic brackets by means of the clinically relevant use of a spectroradiometer, and to compare the color of brackets with that of a commercial shade guide. Methods: The color of central and tie-wing regions of four plastic and four ceramic brackets was measured according to the CIE L*a*b* color scale over white and black backgrounds. Brackets were classified into five groups based on their composition. The color of Vitapan Classical Shade Guide tabs was also measured. Translucency parameter (TP) and contrast ratio (CR) were calculated to determine translucency. Results: Color differences between brackets and the shade guide tabs were 10.4 - 34.5 ∆E*ab units. TP and CR values for the central region were 16.4 - 27.7 and 0.38 - 0.58, whereas for the tie-wings they were 24.0 - 39.9 and 0.25 - 0.45, respectively. The color coordinates, TP and CR values were significantly influenced by bracket composition and brand (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Esthetic brackets investigated herein showed unacceptable color differences (∆E*ab > 5.5) compared with the shade guide tabs. Differences in the translucency of brackets by brand were within the visually perceptible range (∆CR > 0.07). Therefore, brackets showing the best matching performance for each case should be selected considering esthetic and functional demands.

RESUMO Objetivo: considerando-se que a cor dos braquetes estéticos deve corresponder à cor dos dentes, os objetivos do presente estudo foram determinar a cor e a translucidez de braquetes estéticos, por meio do uso clinicamente relevante de um espectroradiômetro, e comparar a cor desses braquetes com a cor de uma escala comercial de cores. Métodos: a cor das regiões central e da aleta de quatro braquetes plásticos e quatro braquetes cerâmicos foi medida segundo o sistema de cores CIE L*a*b*, sobre fundos branco e preto. Os braquetes foram classificados em cinco grupos, de acordo com a sua composição. A cor das peças da escala de cores Vitapan Classical(r) também foi medida. O parâmetro de translucidez (PT) e a razão de contraste (RC) foram calculados para se determinar a translucidez. Resultados: as diferenças de cor entre os braquetes e as peças da escala de cores variaram de 10,4 a 34,5 unidades ∆E*ab. Os valores de PT e RC, respectivamente, variaram de 16,4 a 27,7 e de 0,38 a 0,58 na região central; já para a região das aletas, esses valores variaram de 24,0 a 39,9 e de 0,25 a 0,45. As coordenadas de cor e os valores de PT e RC foram significativamente influenciados pela marca e composição dos braquetes (p < 0,05). Conclusões: os braquetes estéticos investigados nesse estudo demonstraram diferenças de cor inaceitáveis (∆E*ab > 5,5), quando comparados às peças da escala de cores. As diferenças de translucidez entre as marcas de braquetes estavam dentro do limite visualmente perceptível (∆RC > 0,07). Portanto, ao selecionar os braquetes com a melhor correspondência de cor, deve-se levar em consideração as exigências estéticas e funcionais de cada caso.

Vitapan 3D-master shade guide showed no fluorescence emission.

Objectives: To determine the fluorescence property of Vitapan 3D-Master shade guide tabs with a spectrophotometer. Materials and Methods: Fluorescence property of 29 shade tabs, in both of original and ground-to-flat forms, was determined by a reflection spectrophotometer. Color difference (ΔE*ab-FL) by the inclusion and exclusion of the UV component of a standard daylight simulator (CIE standard illuminant D65) was calculated to determine the fluorescence color change. Fluorescence peak was expressed as the difference in spectral reflectance values by the UV component. Results and Conclusion: ΔE *ab-FL values were in the range of 0.2 to 2.7 (mean: 1.2±0.6) for the original and 0.5 to 1.6 (mean: 0.9±0.1) for the ground-to-flat tabs, which was significantly different based on paired t-test (p<0.05); however, fluorescence peak was not detected in all the shade tabs. Therefore, fluorescence property of Vitapan 3D-Master shade guide should be modified to have similarfluorescence property of natural teeth and corresponding restorative materials.

Difference in the color stability of direct and indirect resin composites

Indirect resin composites are generally regarded to have better color stability than direct resin composites since they possess higher conversion degree. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed at comparing the changes in color (ΔE) and color coordinates (ΔL, Δa and Δb) of one direct (Estelite Sigma: 16 shades) and 2 indirect resin composites (BelleGlass NG: 16 shades; Sinfony: 26 shades) after thermocycling. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Resins were packed into a mold and light cured; post-curing was performed on indirect resins. Changes in color and color coordinates of 1-mm-thick specimens were determined after 5,000 cycles of thermocycling on a spectrophotometer. RESULTS: ΔE values were in the range of 0.3 to 1.2 units for direct resins, and 0.3 to 1.5 units for indirect resins, which were clinically acceptable (ΔE<3.3). Based on t-test, ΔE values were not signifcantly different by the type of resins (p>0.05), while ΔL, Δa and Δb values were signifcantly different by the type of resins (p<0.05). For indirect resins, ΔE values were infuenced by the brand, shade group and shade designation based on three-way ANOVA (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Direct and indirect resin composites showed similar color stability after 5,000 cycles of thermocycling; however, their changes in the color coordinates were different.

Influence of HEMA content on the mechanical and bonding properties of experimental HEMA-added glass ionomer cements

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of incrementally added uncured HEMA in experimental HEMA-added glass ionomer cement (HAGICs) on the mechanical and shear bond strength (SBS) of these materials. Increasing contents of uncured HEMA (10-50 wt. percent) were added to a commercial glass ionomer cement liquid (Fuji II, GC, Japan), and the compressive and diametral tensile strengths of the resulting HAGICs were measured. The SBS to non-precious alloy, precious alloy, enamel and dentin was also determined after these surfaces were subjected to either airborne-particle abrasion (Aa) or SiC abrasive paper grinding (Sp). Both strength properties of the HAGICs first increased and then decreased as the HEMA content increased, with a maximum value obtained when the HEMA content was 20 percent for the compressive strength and 40 percent for the tensile strength. The SBS was influenced by the HEMA content, the surface treatment, and the type of bonding surface (p<0.05). These results suggest that addition of an appropriate amount of HEMA to glass ionomer cement would increase diametral tensile strength as well as bond strength to alloys and teeth. These results also confirm that the optimal HEMA content ranged from 20 to 40 percent within the limitations of this experimental condition.