REFINISHING OF PORCELAIN BY USING A REFINISHING KIT

Dental porcelain occasionally requires adjustment in circumstances that preclude reglazing. Porcelain refinishing kits are now available commercially. The effects of using one such kit on Vita VMK bonded porcelain was investigated qualitatively and quantitatively using scanning electron microscopic and surface profilometric techniques, respectively. The kit proved incapable of restoring a surface glaze to porcelain adjusted using a fine (red band) diamond bur, but was capable of reducing significantly the surface roughness (R(a)) of adjusted porcelain. The importance of distinguishing between the integrity of the surface glaze and measurements of surface roughness is discussed. Confining the application of refinishing procedures to the surface adjusted is important to avoid unnecessary removal of the original surface glaze.