The objective of this article was to review the articles on the interaction of salivary organic substances with resin-based dental materials and on the interaction of these organic substances with exogenous chemical agents, which results in discoloration. Original scientific articles or reviews on the saliva, acquired pellicle, and the interaction with pellicle and chemical agents related to dental resin-based materials were reviewed. Salivary esterases can increase or decrease the internal and external discoloration. The formation of acquired pellicle on the surface of a material varies by the properties of material, and the pellicle interacts with denaturation agents, such as tannin and chlorhexidine, to form stains and also adsorbs staining substances. Therefore, for the quality and longevity of restorations, protocols for the evaluation of the influence of organic substances on the extrinsic staining of restorative materials should be included in the evaluation of aesthetic restorative materials.
Copyright 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.