Effect of Finishing Systems on Surface Roughness and Gloss of Full-Body Bulk-Fill Resin Composites.

Background: In this study, we assess the effect produced on roughness and gloss of full-body bulk-fill materials by different finishing and polishing systems.

Methods: Four full-body bulk-fill materials were tested: SonicFill2 (SF), Filtek Bulk Fill Posterior Restorative (FB), Tetric EvoCeram bulk-fill (EC), and Fill-Up! (FU). Sixty discs per material (2 mm in thickness and 7 mm in diameter) were obtained and randomly assigned ( = 15) to four finishing and polishing methods: Sof-Lex Spiral Wheels (SW), HiLusterPLUS (HL), Astropol (AP), and Opti1Step (OS). Surface roughness and gloss were then measured.

Results: For roughness, material and surface treatment were significant factors ( < 0.001) with SF = FB = EC < FU and AP < SW < HL = OS. Material and surface treatment had a significant effect also on gloss ( < 0.001), with SF > FB = EC > FU and SW > AP > HL > OS.

Conclusions: The tested combinations of bulk-fill and polishing systems provided clinically acceptable results with regard to roughness, while the outcome was poor for gloss. Multistep finishing/polishing systems were able to produce smoother surfaces on full-body bulk-fill materials compared to simplified ones.