Color Stability of Dry Earth Pigmented Maxillofacial Silicone A-2186 Subjected to Microwave Energy Exposure

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure spectrophotometrically the color stability of pigmented A-2186 silicone maxillofacial elastomer with 10% by volume of titanium white dry earth opacifier before and after exposure to microwave energy over a simulated 1.5-year period of microwave sterilization. Materials AND METHODS: A-2186 silicone elastomer opacified with titanium white dry earth pigment, pigmented with 5 cosmetic dry earth pigment colors [no pigment (control) group (Pc), red (Pr), yellow ochre (Py), burnt sienna (Po), and a mixture of Pr + Py + Po color group (P3)], was used in this study. Each of the 5 experimental groups consisted of 5 specimens. All specimens were placed in a 250 ml glass beaker filled with 150 ml of water (replenished for each microwave exposure). An exposure of 6 minutes was used 18 times (simulating 1.5 years of microwave sterilization with one 6 minute exposure monthly). Reflectance values were measured by spectrophotometer. Three- and two-way analyses of variance with repeated measures were performed for the color difference (DeltaE*) with the factors of group/color/months, and group/months, respectively. Means were compared by Tukey Honest Significant Difference (HSD) multiple range test calculated at the 0.05 level of significance using SPSS. RESULTS: The trained human eye can detect color changes (DeltaE*) greater than 1.0. Most DeltaE* values of the red pigment group at all intervals and the mixed pigment group at 15- and 18- month intervals increased significantly greater than 1.0 (p < 0.001) compared with the control group. Yellow and burnt sienna groups remained the most color stable over time with DeltaE* values below 0.35. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of color stability of red dry earth pigmented A-2186 silicone maxillofacial elastomers was clinically significant after 12-month exposure to microwave energy as compared with yellow, burnt sienna, and opacified A-2186 dry earth pigments.