title: Light transmittance characteristics and refractive indices of light-activated pit and fissure sealants.
abstract: We examined the light transmittance characteristics and refractive indices of light-activated pit and fissure sealants. Five commercial pit and fissure sealants and human enamel were studied, along with the CIE L*a*b* color values of the materials and enamel. The light transmittance spectra of the pit and fissure sealants showed a similar trend to the enamel, especially at wavelengths below 530 nm. The average light transmittance values from 400 to 500 nm of the materials at 0.5-mm-thick ranged from 10.0% to 40.4%. The refractive indices at 589.3 nm ranged from 1.504 to 1.546, and were approximately 4-8% lower than that of enamel. The measurements for the surface hardness of materials indicate that the light-attenuating effect of enamel and the material itself reduced the polymerization efficiency of the material. For all materials, chromatic a* showed negative and b* showed positive values, as did enamel. Significant differences in light transmittance characteristics and refractive indices between the materials and enamel may affect color matching between them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomaterials Science, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan. hiro@dent.kagoshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arikawa
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Takahito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanie
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ban
mesh_terms: D003116:Color; D003124:Colorimetry; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D055115:Light-Curing of Dental Adhesives; D008422:Materials Testing; D055620:Optical Phenomena; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012031:Refractometry; D012542:Scattering, Radiation
chemical_list: D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants