Impact of Gastric Acids on Surface Roughness of Dental Materials: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Dental materials whenever used for restorations in the oral cavity can be subjected to dental erosion because of the gastric juices and can cause roughness and act as a nidus for the growth plaque. Aim of this study was to evaluate impact of artificial gastric acid on surface roughness of dental restorations, examining scientific studies published from 2010-2020. Materials and Methods: This study follows and complies with principles of PRISMA guidelines for a systematic review research methodology. In March 2020, an initial search was carried out in the MEDLINE (PubMed), Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Saudi Digital Library database of indexed journals from 2010-2020 using the keywords: impact,” “effect,” “gastric acid,” “gastric juice,” “indirect restorations,” “dental materials,” “dental ceramics,” “crowns,”. Bibliographic materials from these articles were then utilized to find other sources. Results: The MEDLINE (PubMed) search retrieved thirty articles, of which three were relevant to the study. Total articles found in Google scholar were 11,500 article, in which 11 were analyzed for further review and only seven matched the allocated inclusion and exclusion criteria. 512 articles were found in the Saudi Digital Library and only three of these articles followed the inclusion criteria of this study. Conclusions: It has been proved by numerous studies that acidic exposure significantly affects the surface roughness of dental ceramics negatively. There is lack of evidence to support the claim that Zirconia is the dental ceramic of choice for patients with intrinsic acid regurgitation. Thus, it is recommended to conduct further studies in order to assess and confirm the best material that can withstand such acidic environment.