GLOSS GOALS: COMPARING SMOOTHNESS IN RESIN COMPOSITE DENTISTRY
Dr. Sheetal Grover, Dr. Deepshikha Sainwal*, Dr. Seema Dixit, Dr. Anil Dhingra, Dr. Anshdeep Singh
Department of Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, Seema Dental College & Hospital,Rishikesh-249203, Uttarakhand, India
ABSTRACT: AIM: This study aimed to investigate and compare the surface roughness of composite restorative materials after finishing and polishing. Objectives: 1. To evaluate the surface roughness of different composite restorative materials after finishing and polishing. 2. To compare the surface roughness of different composite restorative material after finishing and polishing. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 100 samples at the Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Seema Dental College and Hospital, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, over a four-month period. Specimens were prepared using metallic molds, resulting in two groups of 50 samples each. Results: The intergroup comparison of surface roughness between two resin-based composites revealed a significant difference (p < 0.05), with Te-Economic Plus showing higher roughness compared to D-Tech Compomax, based on independent t-tests of 50 samples per group. Conclusion: The study found that filler composition and matrix structure significantly affect the surface roughness of composite restorations. D-Tech Compomax exhibited smoother surfaces than Te-Economic Plus, highlighting the importance of material selection and polishing techniques in improving restoration quality. Further clinical studies are needed for validation.
Keywords: resin-based composite materials, metallic molds, glass slabs, transparent mylar strips, a light cure unit, a finishing kit, an incubator, and a profilometer.