Effect of various pediatric probiotic drops on the discoloration of composite resin: in-vitro study

Background: Probiotic supplements are commonly used to boost immunity in children; however, these formulations may negatively affect the surface of dental restorative materials and cause discoloration. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of pediatric probiotic drops containing various microorganisms on the color of resin composites. Methods: 56 micro-hybrid composite discs (HerculiteTM Classic, Kerr Co., CA, USA) were prepared using standard size mold. Every sample was tested for a baseline color measurement (T0) using the Commission Internationale de l’Éclairage (CIE) L*a*b* system with Vita Easy Shade Compact. The samples were divided into 4 different groups; 3 different pediatric probiotic drops (Group 1—BiGaia, Group 2—Kaleidon, Group 3—NBL) and the control group were kept in distilled water. Over 30 days, 6 drops of each probiotic were introduced into the composite discs immersed in 1.5 mL of distilled water in Eppendorf tubes. After 5 minutes, the discs were placed in renewed distilled water. On days 7 (T1) and 30 (T2), color measurements were repeated using spectrophotometry, and the color changes (∆E*) were statistically analyzed with a significance level of 0.05. Results: At the ∆E1, ∆E2 and ∆E3 time periods, statistically significant differences occurred on discoloration according to the experiment groups (p < 0.05).After 30 days, the color change measurements ∆E* were 4.51 ± 1.27 for G1, 5.24 ± 3.06 for G2, 4.34 ± 2.37 for G3, and 2.86 ± 0.7 for G4. On the 30th day, the discoloration in the G2—Kaleidon and G1—BiGaia groups was statistically significantly higher than the control group G4—Distilled water (p = 0.034 and p = 0.015). Conclusions: Noticeable color changes in composite resin materials occur with regular use of pediatric probiotic drops. The type of probiotics affects the discoloration of composite resins.

Probiotics; Microhybrid composite; Color stability; Spectrophotometry

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