Effect of polishing methods on the surface roughness of different temporary restorative materials

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different polishing methods on the surface roughness of temporary prosthetic restorations. Methodology: In this study, 200 specimens were obtained from Structur 2, Imident, FSM Duo CAD, and Han Temp Crown. All specimens were sanded with 400-, 800-, and 1000-grit silicon carbide. Next, the specimens were divided into five subgroups (n = 10). The specimens in first group were sanded with 1200-, 1600-, and 2000-grit silicon carbide sandpaper. The second group was polished with an aluminum oxide-containing disc. The third group was polished with a diamond-containing pad. A glaze bond was applied to the specimens in the fourth group. The fifth group was glazed with a coat of nano-filled resin. Then, the surface roughness of all specimens was measured with a profilometer. A two-way ANOVA test was performed using SPSS 20.0. Finally, the microstructures of the surfaces were examined by a scanning electron microscope at 5000× magnification. Results: Statistically significant results were obtained between the temporary materials and polishing methods in terms of surface roughness (p < 0.05). For the polishing method, the highest surface roughness values were observed in the control group (0.50 ± 0.15). The lowest surface roughness values were observed in the Equia Forte GC coat group (0.25 ± 0.10). Among the temporary crown materials, the highest roughness was observed in Imicryl specimens. (0.45 ± 0.17), while the least roughness was the polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) specimens (0.17 ± 0.10). Conclusion: Surface polishing and finishing procedures might positively affect the surface roughness of temporary materials. Furthermore, materials made via computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) demonstrate structural advantages and may be preferable.   How to cite this article: How to cite this article: Kavut İ, Uğur M, Tanrıkut ÖO. Effect of polishing methods on the surface roughness of different temporary restorative materials. Int Dent Res 2022;12(3):149-57. https://doi.org/10.5577/intdentres.2022.vol12.no3.7   Linguistic Revision: The English in this manuscript has been checked by at least two professional editors, both native speakers of English.