title: A survey of the effectiveness of dental light-curing units and a comparison of light testing devices.
abstract: The aims of this study were to: 1. survey the light output from 49 light-curing units in clinical use; 2. measure the effect on depth of cure of composite resin caused by a range of light outputs; 3. assess the relationship between radiometer meter readings and depth of cure of composite resin in a human tooth model and a Heliotest. The mean meter reading produced by the 49 lights surveyed using a lampChecker radiometer was 4.4 (+/-2.4 SD), range 0.3 to 10.0. The manufacturer of the radiometer considers optimal light output to provide a meter reading within the range 5.0 to 7.0. Lights of very low output (0.7 +/- 0.1 SD) were found to be capable of curing, after 20 seconds, a 1.9 (+/-0.3 SD) mm thickness of composite resin. However, only approximately 50% of this thickness can be considered fully cured. Increasing the cure time from 20 seconds to 60 seconds increased the mean depths of cure by a factor of approximately 1.4. The mean depths of cure of composite resin placed in the Heliotest were greater than those observed in the natural tooth model, by a factor of approximately 1.3. Correlation coefficients of meter readings and depth of cure were greater for the Efos Cure Rite and Demetron 100 radiometers than the lampChecker unit.
authors: Department of Conservative Dentistry, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London.
authors: S M
authors: SM
authors: Dunne
authors: B R
authors: BR
authors: Davies
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Millar
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000295:instrumentation; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D011874:Radiometry; D013997:Time Factors; D014070:Tooth
chemical_list: D003188:Composite Resins; D003764:Dental Materials