Clinical and scanning electron microscopic assessments of porcelain and ceromer resin veneers.

PURPOSE: Recently available Ceromer resin materials are promising for fabrication of esthetic anterior laminates and provices an alternative, cost effective treament modality to porcelain laminates for discolored anterior anterior teeth. It was proposed to study the esthetic quality and surface finish of veneers fbricated from ceromer resin and compare it with the standard porcelain veneers, both clinically as well as by scanning electron microscope (SEM) at baseline and at 12 months. If found comparable, ceromer resin veneer could provide an alternative to porcelain veneers which is an expensive technique for a developing country like India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two veneers, 36 porcelain and 36 ceromer were placed in 12 subjects who were studied at 0, 6 and 12 months for clinical acceptability, and at 0 and 12 months for SEM assessment. The restorations were luted with Opal luting composite and Scotchbond multipurpose system; polyvinyl siloxane was used as the impression material. The clinical assessment was made using modified United Public Health Services criteria, whereas the SEM assessment was made by quantitative analysis of the marginal fit and surface characteristics of the two veneering materials. RESULTS: Ceromer exhibited good anatomical form during the study period, but depicted changes in color, surface appearance, marginal adaptation, increased marginal discoloration, and tissue response. Inability to achieve a good finish with high gloss was a major drawback of the ceromer. Porcelain exhibited better esthetics, marginal adaptation, finish qualities, and tissue response. The SEM showed good to excellent marginal fit at baselinne in ceromer and porcelain veneers, but loss of luting resin at the margins was evident in both the materials after 12 months, leading to visible gaps in a number of veneer restorations. Ceromer veneers exhibited poor surface characteristics in several restorations, which further degraded in an oral conditions over 12 months. CONCLUSION: Veneering is an effective mode of treating discolored teeth. Ceromer veneers exhibited deterioration of surface finish and increased marginal discolouration over a period of 12 months. Clinically ceromer veneers were less acceptable to the patients than porcelain veneers. Porcelain out-scored ceromer as a permanent mode of treatment for discolored teeth, as over a period of 12 months it yielded good clinical results in comparison to ceromer.