Effect of Different Blue Light-Curing Systems on the Polymerization of Nanocomposite Resins

Abstract

To examine the degree of polymerization of nanocomposite resins to test the possibility of using a diode-pumped solid state (DPSS) laser as a light-curing source on behalf of the argon laser. DPSS lasers emitting light at 473 nm have many advantages over argon lasers on account of their compactness, efficiency, and price. A 473-nm DPSS laser (LAS) was used with three other light-curing units (a quartz-tungsten-halogen lamp-based unit, a light emitting diode-based unit, and a xenon lamp-based plasma arc unit) to polymerize dental nanocomposite resins. The degree of polymerization was determined by measuring the microhardness, maximum polymerization shrinkage, and increase in temperature during and after light curing. The results were analyzed statistically. The specimens light cured with LAS showed a microhardness that was similar or superior to the values obtained from the specimens cured with the other light-curing units and maximum polymerization shrinkage values. The maximum increase in temperature by LAS was much lower than that induced by the other light-curing units. LAS effectively polymerizes dental nanocomposite resins to an extent similar to that of recently available light-curing units. The results suggest that LAS has good potential as a light source for light curing of dental nanocomposite resins.