The in vitro color stability of acrylic resins for provisional restorations.

This study made an in vitro comparative evaluation of the color variation of four types of acrylic resin for provisional fixed prostheses, as determined using computerized spectrophotometry, before and after a 20- and 30-day cycle of immersion in four staining solutions. The four acrylic resins used for provisional fixed restorations were: Cold Pac, Trim, Protemp, and Mixacryl II. Thirty-two specimens for each resin were divided into four subgroups of eight elements, immersed in the four staining solutions (synthetic saliva, synthetic saliva and tea, synthetic saliva and coffee, and synthetic saliva and chlorhexidine in 0.12% water solution), and then placed into four thermostatic baths at 37 degrees C +/- 1 degree C. All specimens were measured for each resin before immersion (baseline). After 20 and 30 days, the specimens were analyzed by computerized spectrophotometry and compared. All data were analyzed with analysis of variance for repeated measures (P < .05). Only the Cold Pac resin was color stable in all staining solutions, while the others showed color changes from the different staining solutions.