Journal of Dental Medicine

Background and Aim: Nowadays, esthetic dentistry has become an important part of modern dentistry. Bleaching is considered as a conservative, safe and effective way for treatment of discolored teeth. Although bleaching is commonly used on anterior teeth, the bleaching gel may come into contact with patient's former amalgam restorations and result in corrosive effects, dissolution of amalgam phases and increasing release of mercury. Mercury released from dental amalgam during mouthguard bleaching can be absorbed and increase the total mercury body burden. The aim of this study was to determine the amount of mercury released from Iranian and foreign brands of amalgams with spherical and admixed particles, polished and unpolished, after 16%carbamide peroxide gel application.

Materials and Methods: This experimental in vitro study was performed on 256 Iranian and foreign amalgam samples with spherical and admixed particles. The provided samples were put in distilled water and classified according to the type of amalgam, shape of particles and quality of surface polishing. The test samples were placed in Nite White 16% carbamid peroxide gel and control samples were put in phosphate buffer (Ph=6.5) for 14 and 28 hours. The amount of released mercury was calculated using AVA-440 Mercury Analysis System (Thermo Jarrell Ash model SH/229) with cold-vapor atomic absorption. Data were analyzed using t-test, four way and three way ANOVA tests with P<0.05 as the level of significance.

Results: 16% Nite White carbamide peroxide gel caused a significant increase in amount of mercury released from amalgams in all groups (P<0.05). Mercury release from Iranian amalgam was higher than that from the foreign brands (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in mercury released from spherical and admixed amalgams (P>0.05). The amount of mercury released from Iranian and foreign amalgams was time dependent (P<0.05). Furthermore, the amount of mercury released from unpolished amalgams was higher than polished ones (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The present study indicated that exposure of amalgam to 16% Nite White carbamide peroxide  gel causes a significant increase in mercury release from the amalgam which is significantly influenced by the brand, exposure time, and surface polishing.

Background and Aims: Marginal seal in class V cavities and determining the best restorative material to decrease microleakage is of great importance in operative dentistry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of polishing time on the microleakage of three types of tooth-colored restorative materials in class V cavity preparations and to assess the marginal integrity of these materials using scanning electron microscope (SEM).
Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, class V cavity preparations were made on the buccal and lingual surfaces of 30 bovine incisors (60 cavities). The specimens were divided into three groups each containing 10 teeth (20 cavities): group 1, Filtek Z350 (nanocomposite) group 2, Fuji IX/G Coat Plus (CGIC) and group 3, Fuji II LC (RMGI). In each group, half of the specimens (n = 20) were finished/polished immediately and the rest of them were finished/polished after 24 hours. All the specimens were thermocycled for 2000 cycles (5-50 °C). Epoxy resin replicas of 12 specimens (2 restorations in each subgroup) were evaluated using SEM and the interfacial gaps were measured. Finally, the teeth were immersed in 0.5% basic fuchsin dye for 24 hours at room temperature, sectioned and observed under stereomicroscope. The data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests and the comparison between incisal and cervical microleakage was made with Wilcoxon test.
Results: Incisal and cervical microleakage were not affected by polishing time in none of the three restorative materials (P>0.05). Cervical microleakage only in Fuji IX with immediate polishing was significantly higher than incisal microleakage (P<0.05). Incisal and cervical microleakage with immediate or delayed polishing were not significantly different in Fuji IX, Fuji II LC, and Z350 (P>0.05).
Conclusion: Immediate polishing is recommended in tooth-colored class V restorations.

Background and Aims: To evaluate the effect of polishing on surface roughness of silorane-based composite using profilometery and Scanning Election Microscopy (SEM) and compare it with that of a methylmethacrylate-based composite and a glass ionomer.

Materials and Methods: In this study, 3 groups (n=28) were tested: specimens of two composites (Filtek P90 and Filtek P60) and a glass ionomer (Fuji IX) which were prepared in polyethylene molds (4 mm diameter×10 mm height). Half of the specimens in each group were finished with 180-grit silicon carbide paper and the remaining were finished with 180-grit, and subsequently polished with 250, 400, 800, 1000, 2000, and 2500-grit silicon carbide papers. The surface roughness was evaluated using a contact profilometer and then mean (R_a) and maximum (R_max) of surface roughness were recorded. Then, the surface of 4 specimens of each subgroup was observed under SEM. Statistical analysis was performed with T-test, ANOVA and Dunnett T3 tests.

Results: In all materials, Ra was different between polishing with 180 and 2500-grit silicon carbide papers. In 180-grit group, only R_a of Filtek P60 and Fuji IX showed significant difference (P=0.01). In 2500-grit group, there was no significant difference between the Ra of Filtek P60 and Filtek P90 (P=0.56).

Conclusion: Polishing is recommended for the glass ionomer and posterior composite restorations.

Background and Aims: The purpose of this in vitro study was to assess the effect of two different surface treatments on the contrast ratio of IPS e.max press ceramic submitted to accelerated aging.

Materials and Methods: Ten ceramic (IPS e.max Press) disks (10-mm diameter and 1.5-mm thick) were fabricated according to the manufacturer's recommendations. The samples were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=5): polishing and glazing. Contrast ratio ware obtained with a spectrophotometer before and after accelerated aging. The contrast ratio (CR=Yb/Yw), was defined as the ratio of illuminance (Y) of the test material when it is placed on the black background (Yb) to the illuminance of the same material when it is placed over a white background (Yw), was determined. The data were statistically analyzed by two-way analysis of variance (P<0.05).

Results: All specimens of IPS e.max press ceramic showed significant increase in CR after 300-hour accelerated aging time (P=0.005). Polished samples showed significantly higher opacity compared with that of the glazed ones (P=0.018).

Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, it may be concluded that the glazed specimens showed higher stability in their translucency than the polished specimens.