The Effect of Finishing and Polishing Procedures on the Surface Roughness of Composite Resin Materials

AIMS: The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of various finishing and polishing procedures on the surface roughness of six different composite resin materials (Artemis Enamel, TPH Spectrum, Filtek A-110, Filtek Supreme Enamel, Solitaire 2, and Filtek P-60) as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of the surface sealant application (BisCover) on the surface roughness after finishing and polishing procedures of tested composites. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Specimens (n=168) measuring 5 mm in diameter x 2 mm in thickness were fabricated in a plexiglass well covered with a Mylar strip using six composite resins. A control group of seven specimens of each material received no polishing after being cured under the Mylar strip. Twenty-one specimens for each composite were randomly divided among three finishing and polishing groups (n=7). Each group was polished using a different system: Carbide bur/Sof-Lex disc, Carbide bur/Enhance disc with polishing paste, and Carbide bur/Edenta composite finishing kit. The average surface roughness (Ra, microm) of the control and treated specimens were measured with the Mitutoyo Surftest-402 Surface Roughness tester. After a surface sealant (BisCover) was applied to all treated specimens, according to manufacturer's instructions, the average roughness (Ra) was measured again. Results were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the post-hoc Scheffe's test at a p0.05). The Mylar strip group was not significantly different from the Sof-Lex/BisCover and Edenta/BisCover groups. The ranking of mean Ra values by materials was as follows: Filtek Supreme Enamel < Filtek A110 < TPH Spectrum < Artemis <Filtek P-60 < Solitaire 2. The ranking of mean Ra values by polishing systems was as follows: Enhance/BisCover < Mylar Strip < Sof-Lex/BisCover < Edenta/BisCover < Sof-Lex < Enhance < Edenta. CONCLUSION: Smoother surfaces were recorded for the Enhance/BisCover and the Mylar strip-formed surface groups. The composite finishing kit Edenta significantly increased the Ra for all tested composites (p<0.05). But after finishing with Edenta, the use of a surface sealant (BisCover) significantly improved the surface smoothness of all tested composites (p<0.05). Use of BisCover surface sealant on anterior and posterior resin composite restorations after finishing and polishing procedures is recommended.