Colour stability of tooth-coloured restorative materials.

The colour stability of the surface and in-depth (2 mm) layer of two resin composites, a laboratory second-generation resin composite and a compomer were evaluated after 24 and 360 hours of water aging under dark and UV light conditions. The influence of various polymerization techniques on color changes was also evaluated. Color differences (deltaE*) showed higher color changes under UV light exposure than under dark storage, both at 24- and 360-hour evaluations. Color changes were statistically higher at the 360-hour assessment, in both conditions of maintenance. Compomer was the least color stable of the materials tested. Additional polymerization significantly decreased the colour change of both composite resins.