The Effect of Irradiation Wavelength Bandwidth and Spot Size on the Scraping Depth and Temperature Rise in Composite Exposed to an Argon Laser or a Conventional Quartz-Tungsten-Halogen Source

Published

May 1, 2002

Author(s)

R D. Pradhan, N Melikechi, F Eichmiller

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate that effect of the effect of the spectral distribution of the curing irradiation near the maximum excitation wavelength of the photo-initiator and the effect of the irradiation spot size on the scraping depth-of-cure and temperature rise in a resin composite for both an argon laser and a quartz-tungsten-halogen lamp.Methods: Using bandpass filters the spectral outputs of an argon laser and a quartz-tungsten-halogen lamp were restricted to pass selected wavelengths on to a commercial camphorquinone-based resin composite and the depth-of-cure, using scraping methods, was measured. The temperature rise in, composite was measured for some of the above-mentioned sources. The spot sizes for both sources were varied and the scraping depth was measured. Lateral curing or the extent of curing away from the focused spot was also measured.Results: For constant power density and exposure time, an irradiation spectral distribution closer to the photo-initiator excitation peak yielded a higher scraping depth than a broadband spectral distribution for both sources. Under similar conditions, the argon laser resulted in a lower temperature rise in the composite than the lamp. For the same total energy imparted to the resin composite, the scraping depth increased with reducing spot size of the curing irradiation. Furthermore lateral curing of the composite well beyond the irradiation spot size was observed.

Citation

Dental Materials Congress

Volume

18

Issue

No. 3

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

argon laser curing, dental composite resins, depth of cure and heating, focusing effects source bandwidth

Citation

Pradhan, R. , Melikechi, N. and Eichmiller, F. (2002), The Effect of Irradiation Wavelength Bandwidth and Spot Size on the Scraping Depth and Temperature Rise in Composite Exposed to an Argon Laser or a Conventional Quartz-Tungsten-Halogen Source, Dental Materials Congress (Accessed April 19, 2024)