Abstract
We apply terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy for monitoring the curing process of three different light-curing dental composites. Exact knowledge of the sample thickness is required for a precise determination of the THz dielectric parameters, as the materials exhibit shrinkage when they are cured. We find very small but significant changes of the THz refractive index and absorption coefficient during stepwise light exposure. The changes in the refractive index are correlated with changes in the density of the materials. Furthermore, the refractive index and the sample thickness are found to give the most reliable result for monitoring the curing process of the dental composites.
Highlights
Light-curing dental composites are widely used in restorative dentistry nowadays
We perform a basic characterization of the THz dielectric parameters of the uncured dental composites
We have shown that THz-time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) is capable of monitoring the curing of dental composites
Summary
Light-curing dental composites are widely used in restorative dentistry nowadays. Their establishment has been fostered by aesthetic aspects and by concerns about harmful effects of mercury in conventional amalgam fillings. A non-uniform degree of hardening with depth can lead to inadequate cure at the interface between composite and tooth. Destructive methods or methods requiring sample preparation are applied for assessing the optimal degree of cure, such as an evaluation of the depth of cure by a scraping technique [3,4] or by micro-hardness testing [3,4]. Adequate techniques that allow for a nondestructive (ND) monitoring of the degree of cure are still rare and are a current field of research
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