Effect of Thermal Cycling or Simulated Gastric Acid on the Surface Characteristics of Dental Ceramic Materials

• Published in: Ceramics Vol. 7; no. 2; pp. 530 - 546
• Main Authors: Pandoleon, Panagiotis, Sarafidou, Katia, Pouroutzidou, Georgia K, Theocharidou, Anna, Zachariadis, George A, Kontonasaki, Eleana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.06.2024
• Subjects: Aging; Analysis; Bulimia; ceramic materials; Ceramics; Chemical composition; Chemical properties; Composition; Dental ceramics; Dental materials; Dental restorative materials; Distilled water; Eating disorders; Gastric acid; Gastroesophageal reflux; Inductively coupled plasma; Lithium; Mechanical properties; optical profilometry; Patients; Physiological aspects; simulated gastric acid; Sintering; Spectrum analysis; Structural integrity; Surface properties; Surface roughness; Surface structure; Temperature; Thermal cycling; thermocycling; Variance analysis; Zirconium dioxide; Zirconium oxide; Greece
• ISSN: 2571-6131; 2571-6131
• DOI: 10.3390/ceramics7020035

(1) Background: The presence of various dental ceramic materials with different chemical compositions complicates clinicians’ decision making, especially in cases with a highly acidic environment appearing in patients suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease or other eating disorders. Thermal alterations in the oral cavity can also affect surface structure and roughness, resulting in variations in both degradation mechanisms and/or bacteria adhesion. The aim of the present in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of thermal cycling and exposure to simulated gastric acid on the surface roughness of different ceramics; (2) Methods: Five groups of different ceramics were utilized, and twenty specimens were fabricated for each group. Specimens were either thermocycled for 10,000 cycles in distilled water or immersed in simulated gastric acid for 91 h. The evaluation of surface roughness was performed with optical profilometry, while scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy were also performed; (4) Conclusions: Based on the combination of the surface roughness profile and structural integrity, zirconia specimens presented the smallest changes after immersion in simulated gastric acid followed by lithium disilicate materials. Zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate ceramic presented the most notable changes in microstructure and roughness after both treatments.