Effectiveness of Shade and Thickness of Resin Cement on the Final Colour of the Porcelain Laminate Veneer: A Scoping Review

Introduction: Porcelain laminate veneer has evolved as a dependable treatment option due to their superior optical properties similar to natural tooth and exceptional aesthetic outcome. Among the factors which influence the final shade of laminate veneers, shade and thickness of resin cement used for luting contributes to the ultimate result. Aim: To analyse whether the shade and thickness of resin cement affects the final colour of the veneer restoration. Materials and Methods: Electronic databases Cochrane, MEDLINE and PubMed were searched for articles published in English between 1990 and 2017 based on set inclusion criteria. Data screening and extraction was performed in covidence systematic review software. Pre-clinical studies which assessed the effects of resin cement shade and thickness on the final shade of porcelain laminate veneers were included in the study. The initial search of literature included 22 studies, of which five articles were excluded, a total of 17 articles for full text reading were included after which 14 articles which did not meet the inclusion criteria were eliminated and remaining three articles were accepted as eligible for the review. Results: The search resulted in three studies reporting the effect of resin cement shade on porcelain. The mean colour difference was assessed in terms of clinical acceptability and perceptibility threshold. Various resin cement systems with similar shade showed different colour parameters and changes in final translucency. None of the studies compared the thickness parameter of resin cement on the final colour of restoration. Conclusion: The aesthetic outcome of veneer restorations are reflected by the shade of resin luting cements, considering the mean colour difference within various cement systems. There is a definite need for further research to evaluate the effect of cement thickness on final colour of veneers and a standardised resin cement shade classification.