Effect of Thixotropic Agent on the Color Stability of Platinum-Based Silicone Maxillofacial Elastomers after Artificial Aging

Abstract

Maxillofacial prostheses are essential for restoring natural appearance and function in individuals with defects in the head and neck regions. Thixotropic agents, as liquid additives, are known to increase the viscosity of silicone elastomers. However, color deterioration remains a challenge in facial prostheses, leading to the need for refabrication. Despite this, there is limited research on the effect of thixotropic agents on the color stability of silicone maxillofacial elastomers. This study aims to investigate the impact of different thixotropic agent amounts on the color degradation of various maxillofacial silicone elastomers. Three elastomers (A-2000, A-2006, and A-2186) were combined with five pigments (no pigment as control, red, yellow, blue, and a mixture of red, yellow, and blue), and mixed with six thixotropic agent quantities (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 drops). A total of 450 specimens were fabricated (n = 5) and aged in an artificial aging chamber. L*, a*, b* readings were obtained before and after aging using a digital spectrophotometer. Color difference (ΔE*) means and standard deviations for 150 kj/m2, 300 kj/m2, and 450 kj/m2 were calculated. Statistical analyses, including four-way ANOVA and Fisher’s PLSD test, were conducted to determine any significant differences (p < 0.05) among the groups. A comprehensive analysis revealed significant four-way interactions among the groups. In the mixed-pigmentation group, adding 4 drops of thixotropic agent resulted in ΔE* above 3 only in A-2186 silicone at 300 and 450 kj/m2 energy levels. However, the color stability of mixed-pigmented A-2000 and A-2006 remained within the acceptable thresholds of 3 ΔE* at all irradiance levels in this study. At each energy level, A-2006 exhibited the highest color stability with an increasing thixotropic agent quantity among all the silicones. Conversely, A-2186 was more affected by the increased number of thixotropic agent drops in each pigmentation group, including the control group at 450 kj/m2. The quantity of thixotropic agent plays a crucial role in determining the color stability of different silicone elastomers pigmented with various intrinsic pigments. The thixotropic agent amount has a more significant impact on color stability than the type of pigment used in the silicone elastomers. A key overarching insight from this investigation is the identification of a safety threshold for the thixotropic agent quantity of 3 drops for each silicone type, pigmentation, and energy level. These findings highlight the importance of considering the proper combination of thixotropic agents, pigments, and silicone materials to achieve optimal color stability in maxillofacial prosthetic applications.