ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the fexural strength of two porcelain materials (IPS d.SIGN and IPS e.max Ceram) exposed to erosive agents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and twenty bar-shaped specimens were made from each of fuorapatite-leucite porcelain (IPS d.SIGN) and fuorapatite porcelain (IPS e.max Ceram) and divided into 8 groups of 15 specimens each. Six groups were alternately immersed in the following storage agents for 30 min: deionized water (control), citrate buffer solution, pineapple juice, green mango juice, cola soft drink and 4 percent acetic acid. Then, they were immersed for 5 min in deionized water at 37ºC. Seven cycles were completed, totalizing 245 min. A 7th group was continuously immersed in 4 percent acetic acid at 80ºC for 16 h. The final, 8th, group was stored dry at 37ºC for 245 min. Three-point bending tests were performed in a universal testing machine. The data were analyzed statistically by 2-way ANOVA, Tukey's HSD test and t-test at signifcance level of 0.05. RESULTS: The fexural strengths of all groups of each porcelain after exposure to erosive agents in cyclic immersion did not differ signifcantly (p>0.05). For both types of porcelain, dry storage at 37ºC yielded the highest fexural strength, though without signifcant difference from the other groups (p>0.05). The fexural strengths of all groups of fuorapatite porcelains were signifcantly higher (p<0.05) than those of the fuorapatite-leucite porcelains. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the erosive agents evaluated did not affect the fexural strength of the tested dental porcelains.