title: Fracture process characterization of fiber-reinforced dental composites evaluated by optical coherence tomography, SEM and optical microscopy.
abstract: This study used optical coherence tomography (OCT) compared to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM) to evaluate qualitatively crack propagation and final fracture in restorative composite materials - Filtek Z250 and Filtek Z350 (3M ESPE) - with fiber reinforcement after cyclic loading. Samples were made using a split mold. Initially, 3-point bending tests were performed to determine the maximum force and tension at the fracture moment using samples without fiber reinforcement. Then, mechanical cycling tests were performed using samples with glass fiber embedded internally. The failures were analyzed using the 3 methods described before. OCT permitted good characterization of internal crack propagation of the dental composites, which, however, could not be visualized by either SEM or OM. OCT was proven to be laboratory research tool that is easy to use, does not require any specific preparation of the samples, and is less expensive than SEM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil. tcmatheus@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Tibério C U
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Matheus
authors.forename: Cynthia M F
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kauffman
authors.forename: Ana K S
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Braz
authors.forename: Cláudia C B O
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: Anderson S L
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gomes
mesh_terms: D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D055117:Curing Lights, Dental; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003799:Dental Stress Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008853:Microscopy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018583:Pliability; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003188:Composite Resins; D003764:Dental Materials; C444701:Filtek Z250; C009753:fiberglass; C533204:filtek Z350; D014867:Water