The effect of different curing distances on the microhardness of flowable bulk-fill composite materials

Abstract

Background: The microhardness of a composite resin is a vital parameter that is used to determine its clinical behavior. Measuring the microhardness of a composite resin has been used as an indirect method to assess its degree of conversion and extent of polymerization. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of three curing distances (0, 2, and 4 mm) on the microhardness of the top and bottom surfaces of three types of flowable bulk-fill composite resins (smart dentin replacement, Opus bulk fill flow, and Tetric N). Material and method: Sixty-three specimens from the three types of composite resins (n=21) were fabricated using Teflon mold with a 4mm depth and a 5 mm internal diameter and cured for 20 seconds. For each material, three subgroups were fabricated according to the position of the light curing tip from the top surface; at 0, 2, and 4 mm distances. Microhardness was measured using the Vickers test with a 50-g load for 15 seconds for the top and bottom surfaces of all the samples. Results: The microhardness values were decreased in the following order; 0mm > 2mm > 4mm curing tip distance, for both sides and Tetric N had the highest microhardness values. Significant differences in microhardness were recorded between the top and bottom surfaces for all the specimens (p<0.05). Conclusion: Increasing the distances between the tip of the light cure and the surface of flowable bulk-fill resins can significantly decrease the microhardness of the bottom surfaces compared to the top surfaces.