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Comparative radiopacity of flowable resin composites.
D F Murchison1, D G Charlton, W S Moore
1Department of General Dentistry, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas 78236-5551, USA.
Quintessence International (Berlin, Germany : 1985)
|June 5, 1999
Summary
Radiopacity of new flowable resin composites varies significantly. Only three of eight met the enamel standard, with others comparable to dentin, potentially hindering caries diagnosis in restorations.
Area of Science:
- Dental Materials Science
- Restorative Dentistry
Background:
- Flowable resin composites are increasingly used in dental restorations.
- Radiopacity is a critical property for detecting secondary caries.
- Assessing the radiodensity of new materials is essential for clinical decision-making.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the radiopacity of eight novel flowable resin composites.
- To compare their radiodensity against enamel, dentin, and a universal composite.
- To determine the clinical suitability of these materials based on radiopacity.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of 45 cylindrical composite specimens.
- Standardized light-curing for 120 seconds.
- Radiopacity measurement using transmission densitometry and image analysis.
Main Results:
- Only three of the eight tested flowable composites demonstrated radiopacity equal to or exceeding enamel.
- Five materials showed radiopacity not significantly different from dentin.
- Significant variability in radiodensity was observed among the tested flowable composites.
Conclusions:
- The radiopacity of tested flowable resin composites is inconsistent.
- Materials with low radiopacity may compromise the detection of recurrent caries, especially in Class II restorations.
- Clinicians should carefully select flowable composites based on their radiopacity for optimal diagnostic capabilities.