Effect of antacid syrup on the surface roughness and microhardness of composite materials: An in vitro atomic force microscopy study

Abstract Aim: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of antacid syrup on surface roughness and microhardness of composites. Materials and Methods: Two different composite resin materials, Nanofilled and Suprananofilled were used. Antacid syrup (Digeraft) was used in this original research. Fourteen composite disc shape samples were prepared of size 10 mm × 2 mm, seven samples in each group, two groups were made. The composite discs from both the groups were submerged in 10 ml of Digeraft syrup for 28 days, 2 min each day. The surface roughness was measured at baseline and after 28 days using a mechanical profilometer and an atomic force microscope (AFM). The microhardness was measured using a Vickers device. Statistical Analysis: Data entries were performed using IBM Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS) Statistics for Windows, Version 28.0, IBM Corp. (2021), Armonk, NY. Results: The Nanofilled composites showed the highest surface roughness values and lowest microhardness, whereas the Suprananofilled composites had the highest microhardness and lowest surface roughness. Conclusions: From this in vitro AFM study, it was concluded that exposure to antacid syrup leads to significant changes in the surface roughness and microhardness of both Nanofilled and Suprananofilled composite materials.