Effect of gastric acids on the mechanical properties of conventional and CAD/CAM resin composites - An in-vitro study

Dental erosion in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a current and frequent condition that may compromise the mechanical properties and clinical durability of RBCs. This study assessed the mechanical properties of conventional and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) resin-based composites (RBCs) subsequent to simulated gastric acid aging. Three conventional and three CAD/CAM composites were assessed. They were divided into an experimental group (exposed to simulated gastric acid aging) and a control group (no aging). Both groups were submitted to Vickers microhardness (VHN), wear and flexural strength and analyzed over a period of six months. The failure rate probability for each RBC was calculated through the Weibull cumulative distribution function (m). Statistical analysis was conducted using repeated measures ANOVA, 3-way ANOVA and non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis and U Mann-Whitney tests (α=0.05). The mechanical properties of all the RBCs dropped significantly after aging (p<0.05). Lower VHN and flexural strength values, along with greater wear values were evident in the experimental groups, though the effects of the treatment varied between RBCs. The Weibull m of all the RBCs decreased over time. RBCs might show greater reduction in mechanical properties compared to CAD/CAM RBCs when exposed to gastric acid attack. Thus, CAD/CAM composites may represent a suitable choice for the treatment of patients presenting erosive issues.