Effect of ultraviolet protective agents on maxillofacial silicone elastomer, part 1: Color stability after artificial aging

Abstract

Statement of problem. Silicone elastomers have been widely used for rehabilitation of facial defects for more than 50 years. However, color change is the most common problem limiting the service life of facial prostheses. Whether the addition of ultraviolet protectives may enhance color stability of these materials is unclear.Purpose. The purpose of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of ultraviolet protectives on the color stability of maxillofacial silicones after artificial aging.Material and methods. Six color groups (unpigmented, white, yellow, red, blue, and mixed) of addition-type maxillofacial silicone were prepared. Four ultraviolet protectives benzophenone-3, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, titanium dioxide, and ethylhexyl salicylate at 0.5% and 1% concentrations by weight were incorporated into the silicone before polymerization. The specimens were artificially aged in an accelerated weathering chamber for 300 and 600 hours and in a thermocycling device. The color change values (E) of the maxillofacial silicones were evaluated. Data were statistically analyzed by using 4-way ANOVA. The differences were compared by the Tukey honestly significant difference test (a=.05).Results. Benzophenone-3 and ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate protectives did not reduce the AE values, and the 1% titanium dioxide groups exhibited lower AE values than the 0.5% titanium dioxide groups. Ethylhexyl salicylate protective generally reduced the AE values significantly in all color and aging groups when compared with the control groups (P<.05). In all control and ultraviolet protective groups, the highest AE values were seen with the red color in 300 and 600 hours of aging. Generally, no significant difference (P>.05) was seen in the AE values, which were clinically acceptable among the thermocycled color groups. After 600 hours of accelerated aging, the AE values were found to be higher than the values of 300-hour aging.Conclusions. Ethylhexyl salicylate protective incorporated into maxillofacial silicones may improve color stability. (J Prosthet Dent 2023;129:513-9)