Due to the little information related to surface processing and conditioning of resin matrix ceramic materials previous glazing, the main purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of different surface treatments on the surface morphology of different resin composite materials. Five types of resin composite CAD-CAM materials: a resin composite ceramic Vita Enamic (E) and four types of nanoparticle-filled resins, like Lava Ultimate (L), Cerasmart (C), Shofu HC (S), Hyramic (H) were taken into consideration. Specimens received the following surface treatment protocols: conventional polishing [p], polishing and glazing [pg], conditioning with CoJet [c], conditioning with CoJet and glazing [cg], sandblasting [s], sandblasting and glazing [sg], etching [e], etching and glazing [eg]. Surface roughness was analyzed for all samples and nanosurface topographic characterization was made by Atomic Force Microscopy. The highest roughness was registered for sandblasted surfaces [s], followed by tribochemical silica airborne particle abrasion [c], and etching [e]. A very strong correlated conditioning behavior of resin nanoceramic materials, like L, C and S samples was found. The microroughness decreased thus [s] > [c] > [e]. These are moderate correlated with H, and are moderate negative correlated to E, where e is more efficient. Three-dimensional images indicated visible grain boundaries after conditioning, for all materials. After polishing and glazing, surfaces became smoother. For all tested conditioning and finishing methods, surface roughness values were within clinically acceptable limits. Finishing by polishing was proved to be a good choice for all materials taken into consideration, polishing and glazing likewise, excepting Hyramic. For Enamic and Shofu HC sandblasting or tribochemical conditioning and glazing and for Hyramic polishing and glazing are not the best options, related to nanoroughness values. Referring to the nanosurface topography, for Enamic, Cerasmart and Hyramic, glazing would be the method of choice, associated with the adequate conditioning method for each material.
Keywords: atomic force microscopy (AFM); resin composite materials; surface structure.