Statement of problem. porcelain laminates made from thin alumina shells ven
eered with feldspathic porcelain could he a promising alternative to conven
tional veneers. Long-term shade stability is critical for esthetics.
Purpose. This study compared changes in CIE L*a*b* color coordinates of sim
ulated veneers made from aluminum oxide core material veneered with feldspa
thic porcelain after 300 hours of accelerated photothermal aging (weatherin
g).
Material and methods. Fifteen aluminum oxide disks (Procera) were divided i
nto 3 groups. Each of the 5 disks was veneered with All-Ceram porcelain of
the Vita shades A1 and B4, respectively. Five disks remained unfinished as
controls. The disks were bonded to composite substrates simulating stained
teeth. The color of the specimens was measured with a colorimeter. All spec
imens were subjected to 300 hours of accelerated aging under light exposure
and thermocycling. Color measurements were repeated, and the data were sta
tistically evaluated with multiple paired t tests.
Results. Color changes in the test groups involved an increase in lightness
and a decrease in chroma. The calculated total color differences were not
statistically significant compared with a level of 3 DeltaE units.
Conclusion. This simulation of double-layer veneers appears to demonstrate
acceptable color stability for this type of restoration. Clinical research
is necessary to substantiate these in vitro findings.