Color stability of precolored and extrinsically colored monolithic multilayered polychromatic zirconia: Effects of surface finishing and aging

Abstract Purpose To explore the impact of zirconia types, coloring methods, and surface finishing on the color stability of monolithic multilayered polychromatic zirconia after artificial aging, including thermocycling and simulated toothbrushing. Materials and Methods Eighty square‐shaped zirconia samples were divided into 2 types (M3Y‐TZP and M6Y‐PSZ), further categorized based on coloring methods (precolored and extrinsically colored) and surface finishing techniques (mechanical polishing or glazing). The color stability was assessed using the CIEDE2000 formula. Artificial aging was simulated via thermocycling and toothbrushing. All samples were analyzed with a spectrophotometer to determine the post‐aging color changes (Δ E 00 ). The Δ E 00 were interpreted and classified using the 50:50% perceptibility threshold (PT) and the 50:50% acceptability threshold (AT). Comparisons between groups for Δ E 00 differences were performed using three‐way ANOVA, with pairwise comparisons facilitated by Fisher's protected least significant difference test, α = 0.05. Results The study results indicated significant impacts of zirconia type, coloring method, and surface finishing on color stability. The M6Y groups experienced significantly greater color changes (6.61 ± 1.63) compared to the M3Y groups (3.40 ± 2.24), p < 0.0001. For both types of zirconia, extrinsically colored samples exhibited significantly higher Δ E 00 when mechanically polished ( p = 0.004). However, surface finishing had no significant effect on Δ E 00 in precolored samples of either zirconia material ( p = 1.000). The evaluation and categorization of Δ E 00 variations indicated that nearly all color changes in the M6Y groups, regardless of being precolored, extrinsically colored, polished, or glazed, were deemed extremely unacceptable (Grade 1). In contrast, the M3Y groups showed more acceptable results, with the majority of color changes classified as moderately unacceptable (Grade 3). Conclusions The color stability of multilayered polychromatic zirconia is influenced by the type of material, extrinsic coloring, and the chosen surface treatment post‐artificial aging. The translucent 6Y‐PSZ exhibited lower color stability, especially with only mechanical polishing. For the fabrication of M3Y‐TZP and 6Y‐PSZ monolithic multilayered polychromatic zirconia restorations, extrinsic coloring should be paired with glazing to maintain color stability. Conversely, in the absence of extrinsic coloring, both glazing and mechanical polishing are effective in preserving color stability.