THE EFFECT OF AGING ON SURFACE ROUGHNESS OF PROVISIONAL CROWN AND BRIDGE MATERIAL

Abstract Background: Provisional dental restoration fabricated to enhance esthetic, stabilization of abutment teeth and maintain function for limited period of time after which it is to be replaced by definitive fixed restoration. The surface roughness of temporary crowns are considered crucial in achieving successful definite restorations. Most bacteria in the oral cavity can only survive on hard and rough surfaces. The objective of the present study is to evaluate and compare the surface roughness of two types of commercially available composite material (Harvard- temp and Charm- temp). The specimens were tested in dry conditions and after two weeks of storage in artificial saliva at 25⁰C. Material and Methods: A total of 32 specimens of dimensions 64mm×10mm×2.5mm were divided in two groups according to the type of material (Harvard-temp or Charm-temp). Each group of material has 16 specimens. These 16 specimens were divided in two groups: a control group (eight specimens) in dry conditions and an aging group (eight specimens) and stored in artificial saliva for two weeks. The TR 200 device was used to measure the surface roughness of specimens in micrometers (µm) before and after aging in artificial saliva. Results: After comparing the results, a significant difference was found in the surface roughness in dry and aging conditions of Harvard – temp (P 0.05). Conclusion: that in-vitro aging research might be an informative predictor of provisional materials’ properties before clinical application. Clinical significance: Both materials can perform adequately in the oral cavity for two weeks. However, the Charm temp mayperform more adequately and maintain good surface roughness.