JOURNAL OF ORAL SCIENCE, vol.64, no.3, pp.202-207, 2022 (SCI-Expanded)
Purpose: This study investigated the surface roughness (SR), surface microhardness (SH), and chemical composition of recently developed fluoride-releasing restorative materials aged in common liquids. Methods: A total of 276 disc-shaped samples with a diameter of 8 mm and a height of 2 mm were prepared by using four restorative materials: alkasite, Activa, Equia Forte, and Zirconomer. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the Vickers microhardness test were used to measure SR and SH, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) was used for elemental analysis of the materials. The prepared samples were divided into 3 subgroups and immersed in coffee, cola, and saliva for 1 week at 37 degrees C and 100% humidity. Results: Cola and coffee significantly increased the SR of all materials except Zirconomer immersed in coffee (P < 0.05). The microhardness of alkasite and Activa significantly decreased in all liquids (P < 0.05) The percentage of fluorine (F) in the materials significantly changed after immersion for some liquids (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Aging differentially affected the surface characteristics and elemental mass ratios of the studied materials.