Non-destructive characterization of resin-based filling materials using Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Dental Materials Science

Background:

• Resin-based filling materials are widely used in restorative dentistry.
• Accurate characterization of their mechanical properties, such as modulus, is crucial for clinical performance.
• Existing methods for modulus determination may be destructive, limiting further analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a non-destructive test for characterizing the modulus of resin-based filling materials.
• To compare the results obtained from the novel non-destructive method with a standard destructive method.

Main Methods:

• Five visible-light-cured resin composites were tested using Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI) on cantilever beam specimens.
• Modulus was calculated from out-of-plane displacement measurements under applied force.
• Results were compared to those obtained from standard three-point-bend flexural testing (ISO4049:2000).

Main Results:

• The modulus values obtained by ESPI (EI1 and EI2) showed strong positive correlation (r=0.94) with the standard ISO method.
• Significant differences in modulus were observed among the tested composites, consistent across all methods.
• ESPI measurements yielded modulus ranges of 5.53-13.99 GPa (EI1) and 5.78-14.24 GPa (EI2).

Conclusions:

• Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI) is a viable non-destructive method for characterizing the modulus of resin-based dental materials.
• The non-destructive nature of ESPI allows for the assessment of time-dependent material properties on the same specimens.
• This approach offers significant savings in terms of time and material resources.