Comparative Assessment of Testing Systems for Evaluation of Properties of Different Newer Restorative Resins - An In Vitro Study.

Introduction: Restorative composite resin material compositions are frequently improvised to clinically achieve success. Dental composite material to be the choice of restorative material should be compatible with different oral conditions, providing good marginal seal and mechanical integrity. Innovations and modifications done in compositions of these materials for long-lasting restorations in the oral environment require constant testing to evaluate their clinical performance. Different testing systems help researchers to evaluate the properties of materials. This research objective is to compare new modified materials and the effectiveness of the testing method technologies. Aim: The aim of this study was to compare and evaluate different testing methods used to evaluate surface topography and hardness of newer restorative composites. Materials and Methods: Five single shade composites, Bulk fill and nano hybrid (BK and NH), nano fill (NF), nanohybrid (NH), and Glass fiber reinforced (BF) composites resin materials were selected for this study. The composites selected were bulk-fill (BF) and packable composites. The specimens prepared were subjected to surface characteristics analysis with stylus profilometer and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and hardness was evaluated with the Vickers hardness test and nanohardness test. Results: Results obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test at significance P < 0.05. There was a significant difference with surface roughness analysis with Profilometer and AFM methods among all groups except with NH composites. The hardness test did show significant difference among groups. The Vickers hardness tester showed higher values except with BF composites. Conclusion: Significant difference in test methods and the materials tested were due to different resin matrix, filler sizes, and percentage of volume of fillers, 3-dimensional surface evaluation techniques, and type, size, and forces of indenter needles.