Microhardness Investigation of Dental Composite Resins Exposed to Corrosive Environment

The aim of this study was to evaluate the microhardness Rockwell and Young's modulus of a new nano-hybrid and nano-fill composite resins exposed to corrosive media. The study was performed on two composite resins, one nano-hybrid and one nano-fill, enamel, dentine, translucent, respectively body shade, of which were made 20 samples (25.0 +/- 0.1 mm lengths, 10.0 +/- 0.1 mm widths and 3.0 +/- 0.1 mm thicknesses), which were immersed in mouthwash for 1 minute per day for 10 days, the rest of the time being stored in artificial saliva. Measurements of Rockwell microhardness and Young's modulus on samples were made between on the first day, after 6 days and 10 days of immersion in mouthwash comparative with 0 day. The results showed that after immersion in the corrosive environment, both materials had the hardness values changed, but medium values of Rockwell microhardness to nano-fill composite resin were higher than nano-hybride. At the nano-hybride composite resin, it was observed that the enamel and clear translucent groups had the mean values increased after the first day of exposure to mouthwash, compared to the dentine group, which showed a higher mean value after 6 days. At the nano-fill composite resin, for the enamel and body groups were obtained the higher values of HRC after 10 days. For the dentine group, after 6 days, Filtek Ultimate showed the same variation as Harmonize dentine shade. Harmonize composite resin showed higher values of Rockwell microhardness and Young's modulus for all study groups compared to Filtek Ultimate.