[Characterization of three light sources. Study of their efficiency]

Light-emitting sources are currently used to activate the setting reaction of restorative composite resins. It is well known that the polymerization extent of the resins will highly influence their clinical behavior. The monomer-polymer transformation will mostly depend on the chemical nature of the photo-initiators used and on the luminous energy given by the curing device. The aims of this study were to characterize three light curing devices and to compare their efficiency to polymerize a composite resin (SureFil). For that purpose, the emission spectra and the irradiance of a plasma arc (Flipo), a QTH visible light (Elipar Trilight), and a LEDs curing device (Elipar Freelight) were measured. Then, the depth of cure and the Vickers hardness of composite samples were evaluated, for each curing device, as a function of the exposure time. The emission spectra obtained showed the irradiance of the visible light emitted as a function of the wavelength, which was different for each light-curing device. The maximum cured depth (approximately 4 mm) give only a qualitative indication of the extent of the polymerization, as the hardness of the composite samples diminished as a function of the depth. Moreover, it strongly depended on the exposure time. Hence, to obtain a hardness of approximately 100 HV 0.5 at 2 mm depth, the illumination time must be at least of 3 s with the plasma arc Flipo, 10 s with the LEDs Elipar Freelight and 20 s with the QTH Elipar Trilight. In order to efficiently polymerize a composite resin, the emission spectra of the luminous source shall correspond with the absorption spectra of the photo-initiators. The present study showed that the LEDs Elipar Freelight is the most efficient curing device when the camphorquinone is used, as 92% of the emitted energy will be absorbed by the initiator. However, the power of this source is relatively low, hence higher exposure time shall be used.