Comparison of the in vitro erosive effect of carbonated drinks on two restoration materials March-June 2022

Abstract

The purpose of the present investigation was to compare the erosive effect, by means of the difference between the initial and final microhardness in Vickers units, caused by carbonated beverages on Fuji 9 glass ionomer and Te-Econom Plus composite resin. A quantitative, descriptive, longitudinal study was conducted using convenience sampling; samples of both restoration materials were prepared with dimensions of 6 mm in height and 20 mm in diameter; two samples were distributed into three groups based on the type of carbonated beverage. These samples were exposed to the beverages for 15 minutes daily over a period of 15 days at room temperature. Subsequently, microhardness testing was performed using the Vickers test, and data were collected using an observation sheet. The results showed that both restoration materials experienced a decrease in their initial microhardness after exposure to carbonated beverages, with glass ionomer demonstrating a greater erosive effect compared to composite resin. Coca-Cola was found to have the most significant erosive effect. It is concluded that all three carbonated beverages induce an erosive effect that affects the microhardness of the both restoration materials; however, not all cause the same erosive effect of microhardness loss in Vickers units. In this study, glass ionomer was more significantly affected by microhardness loss compared to composite resin, which experienced milder microhardness damage.