YüZ PROTEZLER？NDE KULLANILAN FARKLI KALINLIKLARDAK？ S？L？KON ELASTOMERLER？N TRANSLüSENS？ VE SERTL？KLER？N？N DE？ERLEND？R？LMES？/ Evaluation of Translucency and Hardness of Facial Prosthetic Silicone Elastomers with Different Thickness

Facial prostheses offer an alternative treatment which improves quality of life for the patients with auricular, orbital, and nasal defects. Silicone elastomers used for fabrication of facial elastomers are required to be similar with surrounding skin with regard to color and translucency, and hardness. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of facial prosthetic silicone elastomer thickness on the translucency and hardness of the material. Disk shaped silicone elastomer specimens 15 mm in diameter and 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 2 mm, and 5 mm in thicknesses were prepared (n=10). A skin tone pigment was combined at 2% by weight with the silicone elastomer and the mixture was polymerized in the gypsum molds. Specimens prepared and 24 hours later, on the black and white background color measurement was done from each specimen surface with spectrophotometer and when coordinates of the color were identified according to systems improved by International Light Commission, translucency parameter was calculated. Shore A hardness of silicone elastomer surfaces was measured using a durometer. The translucency parameter and hardness values of groups were analyzed with One-Way ANOVA. As variances did not have homogeneity, Games- Howell test was used for pairwise comparison of translucency parameter values. As hardness values, variances had homogeneity Tukey HSD test was used for pairwise comparisons. Results were significant for a=0.05. translucency parameter values of groups were decreased with increasing thickness and it showed statistical difference among groups (P<0.05). The highest hardness was observed in 1mm-thick specimens, followed by 2 mm, 0.5 mm, and 5 mm-thick specimens. As a result of this study, translucency parameter decreased when thickness increased and Shore A hardness was similar among the silicone elastomers with different thicknesses.