The influence of a chemo-mechanical caries removal solution on the topography of dental ceramic materials

The purpose of this study was to investigate the chemical influence of chemo-mechanical caries removal (CMCR) on surface topography of dental ceramic materials. Thirty samples of three different types of ceramics (Vita Omega®, Vita Alpha®, and Procera AllTitan®) were manufactured and used. With an optical profilometer, designed with a confocal setting of its optics, (CLSP), and an atomic force microscope (AFM) the surface topography of the specimens was investigated at two different resolutions. The specimens were exposed to a solution (64 m NaOCl, 27 m amino acids, pH=11) supposed to be more aggressive than CarisolvTM (34 m NaOCl, 53 m amino acids, pH=11), a CMCR system commercially available. After exposure for 5, 10, and 20 min, respectively, areas measured were relocated and the surface topography was reinvestigated. Parameters describing the amplitude, spatial, and hybrid topographical variation were calculated. In general, after 20 min CMCR solution exposure, the AFM topographical parameters were reduced for Vita Omega®, and increased for Vita Alpha®, whereas the CLSP topographical parameters of Procera AllTitan® were slightly reduced. Thus, the results of this study showed minor influence on surface topography after exposure to CMCR solution for 20 min on the dental ceramics Vita Omega®, Vita Alpha®, and Procera AllTitan®.