The Effect of Ultraviolet Protective Agents on Colour Stability of Maxillofacial Silicone under Simulated Indian Weathering

Introduction: Maxillofacial prosthodontics focuses on rehabilitating maxillofacial defects using prostheses to restore function and aesthetics. Silicone, especially A-2186 elastomer, is widely used due to its durability and biocompatibility. Colour stability is crucial as environmental factors cause discoloration. This study evaluates the effects of ultraviolet (UV) protective agents on maxillofacial silicones under Indian conditions. Materials and Methods: Ten samples of each material were fabricated and submitted to measurements of chromatic alteration initially and after 252, 504 and 1008 h of weathering through visual analysis and spectrophotometry. In the first part of the study, each of 5 opacifiers (no pigment, cadmium-barium red deep, yellow ochre, burnt sienna or a mixture of the 3 pigments), for a total of 25 experimental groups of elastomers, was combined with each of the 5 oil pigment types (artskin white, dry pigment titanium [Ti] white or Ti white artists’ oil colour) at 10% concentrations. Results: The study concluded that pigments mixed with 10% and 15% Artskin white and titanium white dry pigments helped protect the silicone A-2000 from colour degradation over time. The colour stability was unacceptable ( E > 3.0, ranging from 3.48 to 9.89 for pigmented and 3.89–10.78 for non-pigmented) when subjected to six of the seven extraoral ageing conditionings used in this study. Conclusions: The findings underscored the potential benefits of incorporating UV-protective agents, such as UV-EHS and TiO2, in enhancing the longevity of the prosthesis.