The Effects of Different Polishing Systems on the Surface Roughness of Esthetic Composites

Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the surface roughness of esthetic composites finished and polished with two different one-step polishing systems and a conventional multi-step disc system. Materials and Methods: The composites evaluated were Filtek Ultimate (3M ESPE), Amaris (Voco) and Esthet•X® HD (Dentsply). A total of 120 specimens were fabricated in a plexiglass mold covered with a Mylar strip. After polymerization, ten specimens per group received no polishing treatment and served as the control group. For each composite group (n=30), the specimens were randomly divided into three polishing systems: Enhance (Dentsply), OptraPol (Vivadent) and Sof- Lex (3M). All polishing systems were applied according to the manufacturers instructions. The surface roughness values were determined using a profilometer. Results: The smoothest surfaces were achieved under Mylar strips in all composite groups (p 0.05) except for Esthet•X® HD. For Esthet•X® HD, OptraPol exhibited similar roughness values with control group. For Filtek Ultimate, Sof-Lex exhibited statistically higher surface roughness values compared to other polishing systems (p 0.05). However, in Amaris groups there were no statistically difference between polishing systems (p 0.05). Conclusion: One-step polishing systems may exhibit comparable results with multi-step for polishing esthetic composites depending on the material.