Alina Krawczyk

Color and Luminescence stability of selected dental materials in vitro

PURPOSE To study luminescence, reflectance, and color stability of dental composites and ceramics. MATERIALS AND METHODS IPS e.max, IPS Classic, Gradia, and Sinfony materials were tested, both unpolished (as-cast) and polished specimens. Coffee, tea, red wine, and distilled water (control) were used as staining drinks. Disk-shaped specimens were soaked in the staining drinks for up to 5 days. Color was measured by a colorimeter. Fluorescence was recorded using a spectrofluorometer, in the front-face geometry. Time-resolved fluorescence spectra were recorded using a laser nanosecond spectrofluorometer. RESULTS The exposure of the examined dental materials to staining drinks caused changes in color of the composites and ceramics, with the polished specimens exhibiting significantly lower color changes as compared to unpolished specimens. Composites exhibited lower color stability as compared to ceramic materials. Water also caused perceptible color changes in most materials. The materials tested demonstrated significantly different initial luminescence intensities. Upon exposure to staining drinks, luminescence became weaker by up to 40%, dependent on the drink and the material. Time-resolved luminescence spectra exhibited some red shift of the emission band at longer times, with the lifetimes in the range of tens of nanoseconds. CONCLUSIONS Unpolished specimens with a more developed surface have lower color stability. Specimens stored in water develop some changes in their visual appearance. The presently proposed methods are effective in evaluating the luminescence of dental materials. Luminescence needs to be tested in addition to color, as the two characteristics are uncorrelated. It is important to further improve the color and luminescence stability of dental materials.

Studies of the Surface of Fluorinated Carbon in the Aspect of its Catalytic Properties

Abstract Surface properties of fluorinated carbon were characterised from the point of view of its use as a material for catalytic purposes. Samples with different fluorine content (from 10 to 65 wt.%) were tested for their catalytic activity for a number of reactions of acid-base catalysis involving residual hydroxyl groups as active centres. It was found that they were capable of catalysing only such a reaction proceeding through the formation of carbenium ion for which the presence of very weak acid centres is sufficient. The generation of only weak acidity as a result of fluorination was unexpected, therefore calculations were performed using AM1 method to explain this fact. A simple molecule used as a model of fluorinated carbon surface enabled to predict acidity of residual OH groups which was in agreement with experimental findings.

Luminescence of selected dental composites in vitro

OBJECTIVES The work was motivated by the necessity to evaluate the emission changes of dental composites, as the emission under UV light is one of the important optical parameters of the hard tooth tissue. METHODS Fulfill extra, Artemis and Durafill VS materials in A3.5 shade were tested. Coffee, tea, red wine and distilled water (blank) were used as staining drinks. The samples were soaked for 7 days. Total luminescence matrices were collected with an interval of 1 nm in emission and 10nm in excitation, in the front-face geometry. RESULTS The exposure of dental composites to staining drinks caused a reduction in luminescence intensity by up to 40%, the magnitude of the reduction depending on the drink and on the composite material. In the special case of the intrinsically weak fluorescent Durafill VS, the exposure to coffee apparently caused an increase in luminescence intensity due to coffee components adsorbed on the sample surface. SIGNIFICANCE It is important to improve the emission stability of dental composites. The presently proposed methods are effective in evaluating the emission of dental composites. Emission needs to be tested in addition to color, as the two parameters are uncorrelated.