Influence of modeling agents on composite resin properties

Objective: Assess influence of the use of modeling agents for composite resins during the incremental technique on the properties of color change (∆E), microhardness and surface roughness of this material. Methods: The review is registered in PROSPERO under number CRD42021238167. In vitro studies that evaluated at least the color properties of composite resins manipulated with some modeling agent, either a modeling liquid or an adhesive system were selected. The electronic searches took place in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science. Results: 6,761 articles were obtained, six were selected according to the eligibility criteria. The color change was reduced using Adper™ Scotchbond™ Multi-Purpose Adhesive even after storage in red wine for 6 months (p = 0.00001; Mean Difference: -7.04; CI: -8.64 to -5.44) and for 12 months (p = 0.00001; Mean Difference: -8.55; CI: -10.88 to -6.21), when compared to the control group. No significant differences were observed in microhardness and surface roughness with the use of modeling agents compared to the control group. Final considerations: The use of modeling agents for composite resin with a hydrophobic composition helps to maintain the color stability of the restoration without affecting microhardness and surface roughness.