Correlation between the color stability and contact profilometry results of different CAD/CAM ceramic materials after staining with black shammah and DZRT smokeless tobacco

INTRODUCTION: ]) of five Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) ceramic materials: feldspathic ceramics (VITABLOCS TriLuxe Forte and Mark II), multilayer zirconia (Ceramill Zolid PS), zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate (VITA Suprinity), and lithium disilicate glass ceramic (IPS e.max CAD). METHODS: (μm) was assessed via contact profilometry at the end of the study. Statistical analyses included the Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, and chi-squared tests, with significance set at p<0.05. RESULTS: After four weeks of immersion in DZRT snuff, IPS e.max CAD showed the highest ΔE** (6.718) among the tested materials, whereas Ceramill Zolid PS and VITABLOCS Mark II exhibited the lowest ΔE** values (0.614-1.075) across ST types and durations. Significant ΔE** differences were observed among ceramics (p<0.05), staining solution types (p<0.001 for IPS e.max CAD at four weeks), and immersion times (p<0.001). Assessments with the VITA classical shade guide showed that shades darkened significantly (p<0.05) after 2-4 weeks (p<0.05), with the prevalence of the A2 shade decreasing from 62% to 42% after exposure to black shammah and from 58% to 50% after immersion in DZRT snuff. Among materials, VITABLOCS Mark II had the lowest Ra (1.61-1.65 μm) and IPS e.max CAD had the highest (2.89-2.92 μm). CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged exposure to ST induced clinically significant color changes in IPS e.max CAD. Meanwhile, Ceramill Zolid PS and VITABLOCS Mark II demonstrated superior color stability over other materials. Material selection for ST users should prioritize zirconia or feldspathic ceramics to minimize aesthetic compromise.