Objectives: This study evaluated the effect of composite pre-polymerization temperature and energy density on the marginal adaptation (MA), degree of conversion (DC), flexural strength (FS), and polymer cross-linking (PCL) of a resin composite (Filtek Z350, 3M/ESPE).
Methods: For MA, class V cavities (4 mm x 2 mm x 2 mm) were prepared in 40 bovine incisors. The adhesive system Adper Single Bond 2 (3M/ESPE) was applied. Before being placed in the cavities, the resin composite was either kept at room-temperature (25 degrees C) or previously pre-heated to 68 degrees C in the Calset device (AdDent Inc., Danbury, CT, USA). The composite was then light polymerized for 20 or 40s at 600 mW/cm(2) (12 or 24 J/cm(2), respectively). The percentage of gaps was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, after sectioning the restorations and preparing epoxy resin replicas. DC (n=3) was obtained by FT-Raman spectroscopy on irradiated and non-irradiated composite surfaces. FS (n=10) was measured by the three-point-bending test. KHN (n=6) was measured after 24 h dry storage and again after immersion in 100% ethanol solution for 24h, to calculate PCL density. Data were analyzed by appropriate statistical analyses.
Results: The pre-heated composite showed better MA than the room-temperature groups. A higher number of gaps were observed in the room-temperature groups, irrespective of the energy density, mainly in the axial wall (p<0.05). Composite pre-heating and energy density did not affect the DC, FS and PCL (p>0.05).
Significance: Pre-heating the composite prior to light polymerization similar in a clinical situation did not alter the mechanical properties and monomer conversion of the composite, but provided enhanced composite adaptation to cavity walls.
Copyright 2010 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.