Evaluation of microhardness and water sorption/solubility of dual-cure resin cement through monolithic zirconia in different shades

AIM: The objective is to evaluate the effect of shades of monolithic zirconia on the microhardness and sorption/solubility of the underlying two dual-cured resin types of cement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty samples of two dual-cured resin cement discs were polymerized under 60 monolithic zirconia discs in three shades and directly activated resin discs of cement were used as the control group (n = 10). After 24 h storage at 37°C in an incubator, Vickers microhardness and the sorption and solubility were measured. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Two-way ANOVA , one-way ANOVA, Independent t-test, Tukey's honestly significant difference, and Tamhane's T2 tests. RESULTS: The mean microhardness of the Variolink N resin cements were significantly higher than Panavia SA ones (P < 0.001). Furthermore, Variolink N cements exhibited lower sorption/solubility than Panavia SA resin cements (both P < 0.05). The ceramic shade had a significant influence on the microhardness of both cements (P < 0.001) but had no significant effect on the sorption/solubility of resin cements (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Interposition of monolithic zirconia decreases the microhardness of resin cement especially Panavia SA. In Variolink N, by increasing the chroma saturation of ceramics, the microhardness decreased, however in Panavia SA, it was altered by the shades, but not in a specific pattern. For both cements, there were no statistical differences between the sorption/solubility of samples photo-cured under different shades. There was a reverse correlation between microhardness and water sorption/solubility of both cements.