Objectives. This study investigated the light transmittance and thermal diffusivity of composites with different shade, translucency, and filler particle sizes, as well as a resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGI), and analyzed their effects on tem...
Objectives. This study investigated the light transmittance and thermal diffusivity of composites with different shade, translucency, and filler particle sizes, as well as a resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGI), and analyzed their effects on temperature changes during photopolymerization in single-layer and bi-layered configurations.
Methods. The materials used in this study included the nanofilled composite Filtek Z350XT A2 (Enamel: Z3E, Body: Z3B, Dentin: Z3D), the microhybrid composite Filtek Z250 (A1: Z2A1, A2: Z2A2, A3: Z2A3), and the resin-modified glass ionomer cement GC Fuji II LC A2 (RMGI: GI). Light transmittance of the restorative materials for green LED was measured using a real-time light transmittance measurement device during photo-polymerization. The light transmittance values for blue light before and after curing were also measured with the same device. The transmittance values of polymerized specimens were also evaluated using a radiometer with a blue LED curing light. Thermal diffusivity of the material was measured using a temperature controller consisting of a Peltier plate and thermocouples, or the flash method. Temperature changes during photopolymerization and additional light exposure of single-layer materials were measured using a non-contact infrared sensor to obtain temperature-time curves. From these curves, the first peak temperature rise (ΔT1), representing the maximum temperature increase due to the material’s polymerization heat and radiant heat from the curing light, and the second peak temperature rise (ΔT2), representing the maximum temperature increase due to the radiant heat from the curing light, were determined. The net temperature rise due to polymerization heat of the material (ΔTnet) was calculated by subtracting the second curve from the first, and the corresponding peak time was also obtained. For bi-layered materials with different type, shade, and translucency, temperature changes during photopolymerization were measured as in single-layer specimens. The layered combinations consisted of Z350 with the same material, Z250 with the same material, and a combination of Z250 A2 and RMGI.
Results. Light transmittance decreased in the order of Z3E, Z3B, and Z3D in Z350, while Z2A3 showing the lowest value in Z250. Thermal diffusivity showed no significant difference among Z350 and Z250 shades when measured using the temperature controller (p > 0.05). However, in the flash method, Z3B exhibited a significantly higher thermal diffusivity than Z3E and Z3D, while Z2A2 showed a significantly higher value than Z2A1 (p < 0.05). RMGI exhibited lower thermal diffusivity than Z250 (p < 0.05). For both ΔT1 and ΔT2, Z3D exhibited the highest values in the Z350, while Z3E exhibited the lowest. In the Z250, Z2A3 showed the highest values, whereas Z2A1 had the lowest. RMGI exhibited higher ΔT1, ΔTnet, and peak time compared to all Z250 shades (p < 0.05). For the layered Z250 and RMGI, A3/A3 and A3/A2 exhibited higher temperature rises than A3/A1, which was higher than A1/A1 (p < 0.05). GI/A2 showed a lower temperature rise compared to both GI/GI and A2/A2 (p < 0.05).
Conclusion. The light transmittance of the restorative materials increased after photopolymerization and varied depending on their shade and translucency. The thermal diffusivity varied according to the shade and translucency of the materials and was lowest in RMGI. In order to elucidate the temperature change behavior of the layered materials, the temperature changes during photopolymerization of single-layer materials were examined. As a result, the Dentin shade of Z350 and the A3 shade of Z250 showed the highest temperature rise in their respective groups, and RMGI exhibited a higher temperature increase than the composites. In the bi-layered specimens, temperature changes during photopolymerization varied with the combination of material shade and translucency. When one layer was constant, lower light transmittance in the other layer led to a higher temperature rise. Placing a material with lower thermal diffusivity as the first layer resulted in a reduced overall temperature increase.