Composite cure and post-gel shrinkage with different halogen and LED curing lights

The objective of this research study was to determine the curing efficiency of different LED (light-emitting diodes) and halogen curing lights through various selected properties such as the thermal emission, effectiveness of cure, depth of cure, polymerization shrinkage and degree of conversion. Ten different light curing regimens including pulse (EL1), continuous (FL1, EL2, TL1), turbo (EL3, AS1) and soft-start (FL2, EL4, TL2) modes of various lights were also investigated. The thermal emission of LED lights was significantly lower than halogen lights. For all lights, effectiveness of cure was found to decrease with increasing cavity depths. All specimens cured by the different light curing regimens met the ISO depth of cure requirement of 1.5 mm except most modes of EL determined by the micro-indentation technique. No significant difference in polymerization shrinkage and degree of conversion between MX and the various lights/ cure modes were observed at 60 minutes post light polymerization.

Author dc:creator

• SOH MUI SIANG

• Light-emitting diodes (LEDs), Halogen light curing units, Composites, Degree of conversion, Polymerization shrinkage, Depth