Ageing of Dental Composites Based on Methacrylate Resins—A Critical Review of the Causes and Method of Assessment

The paper reviews the environmental factors affecting ageing processes, and the degradation of resins, filler, and the filler-matrix interface. It discusses the current methods of testing materials in vitro. A review of literature was conducted with the main sources being PubMed. ScienceDirect, Mendeley, and Google Scholar were used as other resources. Studies were selected based on relevance, with a preference given to recent research. The ageing process is an inherent element of the use of resin composites in the oral environment, which is very complex and changes dynamically. The hydrolysis of dental resins is accelerated by some substances (enzymes, acids). Bonds formed between coupling agent and inorganic filler are prone to hydrolysis. Methods for prediction of long-term behaviour are not included in composite standards. Given the very complex chemical composition of the oral environment, ageing tests based on water can only provide a limited view of the clinical performance of biomaterial. Systems that can reproduce dynamic changes in stress (thermal cycling, fatigue tests) are better able to mimic clinical conditions and could be extremely valuable in predicting dental composite clinical performance. It is essential to identify procedure to determine the ageing process of dental materials.