Effects of fabrication and shading technique on the color and translucency of new-generation translucent zirconia after coffee thermocycling.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The color stability and translucency of preshaded and externally shaded monolithic and veneered new generation translucent zirconia are not well known. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of fabrication (veneered or monolithic) and shading (preshaded or externally shaded) techniques on the color and relative translucency of translucent zirconia after coffee thermocycling. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Specimens of different thicknesses (0.5 mm for veneered and 1.5 mm for monolithic) were sectioned from preshaded and externally shaded translucent zirconia. Externally shaded specimens were colored by using the dipping technique. Externally shaded (Ext Mono) and preshaded (Pre Mono) monolithic zirconia specimens were sintered and glazed. Externally shaded (Ext Vene) and preshaded (Pre Vene) 0.5-mm-thick specimens were sintered, veneered with feldspathic porcelain (1 mm), and glazed. The color coordinates of specimens were measured with a spectroradiometer before and after 10 000 thermocycles in coffee solution. Color differences were calculated using CIEDE2000, and relative translucency parameter (RTP) values were calculated using the RTP(CIEDE2000) formula. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the CIEDE2000 color differences and RTP values (alpha=.05). RESULTS: Shading technique had a significant effect on the color difference values (P=.018). For the translucency data, the 3-way ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between the fabrication technique and shading technique (P=.002). Each pair of material subgroups within each combination of fabrication technique and shading technique was found to have a significantly different RTP, except between Ext Vene and Pre Vene (P=.115). CONCLUSIONS: Externally shaded translucent zirconia had a greater color change in coffee than the preshaded translucent zirconia, either in monolithic or veneered form. Fabrication technique significantly affected the RTP, and the monolithic zirconia was more translucent than the veneered zirconia.