The Absorption of the Curing Light Intensity by the Ceramic Material Used for Porcelain Veneers

Abstract

Introduction: Porcelain veneers are widely used in aesthetic prosthetic restoration of teeth in the anterior region. The application of dental porcelain facilitates obtaining excellent, natural-looking results with minimum invasive preparation of the tooth tissues. From both the mechanical and the aesthetic point of view, the strength and the durability of an adhesive bond depends on the correct conditioning of the luted surfaces and the polymerization procedure resulting in a high monomer conversion rate in the cement. Aim: The aim of this study was to measure the absorption of the intensity of curing light passing through samples of feldspar ceramic of various colors and thicknesses. Materials and methods: The study used disc-shaped samples prepared from Feldspathic porcelain. The diameter of each disc was 9.0 mm and their thickness ranged from 0.8 mm to 2.1 mm. Discs were prepared in different shades. The curing light intensity was measured for polymerization device Blue phase LED lamp (Ivoclar Vivadent, Liechtenstein) at a 1200 mW/cm2 light intensity (± 10%) and a wavelength ranging from 380 to 515 nm. Light intensity was measured using power gauge FieldMax (Coherent, USA). Results: Based on the measurements performed, it can be concluded that curing light intensity transmission decreases exponentially with the increase of the ceramic layer thickness. The results obtained indicated that the increase in color intensity and the decrease in ceramic brightness result in a reduction of the curing light transmission. Conclusion: To achieve adequate polymerization of the composite material placed beneath the restoration layer, the curing time should be adjusted according to the specified parameters.