Effect of mouthrinses on color stability of monolithic zirconia and feldspathic ceramic: an in vitro study

BACKGROUND Patients susceptible to periodontal disease and dental caries, including those who undergo fixed prosthodontic treatments use chemical plaque control agents. However, these mouthrinses may result in adverse effects such as discoloration of the restorative materials. The aim of this study was to compare the color stability of monolithic zirconia and feldspathic porcelain after immersion in two different mouthrinses: 0.2% Chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX), or Listerine®. Color change was evaluated by color spectrophotometer and according to the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIELab) system. METHODS We prepared 72 disc-shaped porcelains (n = 36) as follows: Group A consisted of dental direkt cube X2 discs (49% translucency) as the monolithic zirconia and group B consisted of VITA VMK 95 as a feldspathic porcelain. Groups A and B were divided into three subgroups (n = 12 per group). Each subgroup was immersed in one of the following three solutions: distilled water (control), CHX, or Listerine® for 2 min, once per day. We recorded the samples' baseline color values according to the CIELab system by using a color spectrophotometer operated by an experienced operator. Color measurements were subsequently obtained following 7 days of immersion, and after the samples were rinsed with distilled water and allowed to dry. We measured CIE L*, a*, and b*and calculated the color difference (ΔE*ab). All data were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. RESULTS Color changes occurred in the experimental groups. The ΔE*ab values were significantly greater in VMK 95 porcelain compared to cube X2 (both p < 0.001) following immersion in CHX and Listerine® mouthrinses. However no significant difference was founded when distilled water was used (p = 0.630). For the two materials, the ΔE values were highest in CHX, followed by the Listerine® and distilled water. CONCLUSION Both monolithic zirconia and feldspathic porcelain were susceptible to color changes following immersion in CHX and Listerine® mouthrinses.