Optical properties of CAD-CAM ceramic systems

Objectives: To evaluate the direct transmittance (T%), translucency, opacity and opalescence of CAD-CAM ceramic systems and the correlation between the translucency parameter (TP) and the contrast ratio (CR).

Methods: Specimens of shades A1, A2 and A3 (n=5) were fabricated from CAD-CAM ceramic blocks (IPS e.max(®) CAD HT and LT, IPS Empress(®) CAD HT and LT, Paradigm™ C, and VITABLOCS(®) Mark II) and polished to 1.0±0.01mm in thickness. A spectrophotometer (Lambda 20) was used to measure T% on the wavelength range of 400-780nm. Another spectrophotometer (VITA Easyshade(®) Advance) was used to measure the CIE L(*)a(*)b(*) coordinates and the reflectance value (Y) of samples on white and black backgrounds. TP, CR and the opalescence parameter (OP) were calculated. Data were statistically analysed using VAF (variance accounting for) coefficient with Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, one-way ANOVA, Tukey's test, Bonferroni correction and Pearson's correlation.

Results: T% of some ceramic systems is dependent on the wavelength. The spectral behaviour showed a slight and constant increase in T% up to approximately 550nm, then some ceramics changed the behaviour as the wavelength gets longer. TP and CR values ranged, respectively, from 16.79 to 21.69 and from 0.52 to 0.64 (r(2)=-0.97). OP values ranged from 3.01 to 7.64.

Conclusions: The microstructure of CAD-CAM ceramic systems influenced the optical properties. TP and CR showed a strong correlation for all ceramic systems evaluated. Yet, all ceramics showed some degree of light transmittance.

Significance: In addition to shade, this study showed that other optical properties influence on the natural appearance of dental ceramics.