The effects of cement thickness and cement shade on the final color of lithium disilicate crowns

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of resin cement color, cement thickness, and thermocycling on the final color of monolithic lithium disilicate crowns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of ninety prepared central incisors of typodont teeth were restored with lithium disilicate crowns which have different cement thicknesses (40 µm, 80 µm, and 120 µm) and cement shades (clear, yellow, and white). Color parameters of restorations were measured with a spectrophotometer in three different steps 1) before cementing 2) after cementing and 3) after thermocycling with 10000 cycles. Color differences (ΔE(00)) were calculated with the CIEDE2000 formula and evaluated according to perceptibility (0.8) and acceptability (1.8) thresholds. The ΔE(00) data were analyzed by using two-way ANOVA before and after thermocycling (α = .05). RESULTS: There was no interaction between the cement shade and the cement thickness factors. After cementation, the mean ΔE(00) was under the perceptibility threshold in the group of 40 µm cement thickness and clear cement while it was between the perceptibility and acceptability thresholds (0.8 < ΔE(00) < 1.8) for all other groups. After thermocycling, the ΔE(00) values were between the perceptibility and acceptability thresholds for all experimental groups. Although there were no significant differences among the groups, thermocycling increased the color difference values. CONCLUSION: The cementation of restorations with clear, yellow, and white resin cements resulted in color differences with uncemented restorations except for the group cemented with clear cement in 40 µm cement thickness. All study groups revealed perceptible color change after thermocycling.