Prediction of Clinical Performance for Polymerization Devices with Different Optics-Design

Objectives: The aim of this study was to predict the clinically relevant curing performance of polymerization devices having different optical concepts. In particular those concepts were:
1) Monochrome LED, reflector and glassfiber light guide with uniform diameter (3M ESPE, Paradigm™ Curing Light).

2) Monochrome LED, reflector and tapered glassfiber light guide (Kerr, Demi^Plus).

3) Two differently colored LEDs (Polywave) and Fresnel lens without  light guide (Dentsply, Smartlite Max).

All devices are on a comparable power/intensity level.

Methods: Intensity of mentioned devices was measured with an Ocean Optics S2000 spectrometer and a 14mm optical sphere with 4mm aperture (according to ISO-4049 depth of cure (DOC) measurement setup). Intensity was measured at 0mm and 7mm distance between the tested device and the aperture.

In addition samples of Filtek™ Supreme Ultra (3M ESPE; shade A3B) were cured with the devices for 10s at 0mm and 7mm distance to measure DOC according to ISO-4049 (n=3; cylindrical sample with 4mm in diameter). The calculated DOC attenuation values were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA (p<0.05).

Results: The following values of intensity and DOC were found:

	Intensity[mW/cm2]			DOC[mm]
Device	0mm	7mm	Attenuation [%]	0mm	7mm	Attenuation [%]
Paradigm™	2101±105	931±47	56±7	2.70±0.04	2.33±0.02	13.6±0.7
DemiPlus	2069±103	875±44	58±7	2.66±0.00	2.24±0.02	15.9±0.7
Smartlite Max	1870±94	525±26	72±6	2.27±0.01	1.65±0.01	27.2±0.3

With respect to the spectrometer’s resolution of 5%, Smartlight Max showed a higher attenuation in terms of intensity than Paradigm™ and Demi^Plus.

Regarding DOC, Paradigm showed the significantly lowest attenuation whereas Smartlite Max showed the highest one.

Conclusions: Amongst the analyzed polymerization devices 3M ESPE Paradigm™ Curing Light showed the best curing performance at 0mm distance as well as at clinically relevant distance of 7mm between the device and the filling material. Also its intensity- and DOC-attenuation values are the best among the devices tested in this study.