SURFACE-ROUGHNESS OF GLASS-CERAMIC INSERT-COMPOSITE RESTORATIONS - ASSESSING SEVERAL POLISHING TECHNIQUES

The authors compared the effectiveness of seven polishing methods on g lass-ceramic insert-composite restorations placed in plastic resin squ ares. The polishing methods used carbide dental finishing burs and dia mond polishing paste, diamond abrasive finishing burs and diamond poli shing paste, diamond abrasive finishing burs and composite resin finis hing disks, diamond abrasive finishing burs and composite resin polish ing points, diamond abrasive finishing burs only, diamond abrasive fin ishing burs followed by resin impregnated disks and an aluminum oxide polishing abrasive paste, and diamond abrasive finishing burs followed by diamond polishing paste. All systems achieved comparable smoothnes s except the carbide finishing burs, which damaged the insert-composit e margin.