Effect of diluent upon the properties of a visible-light-cured dental composite

Four long-chain aliphatic organic diluents, triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA), triethyleneglycol diacrylate (TEGDA) and tetraethylene glycol diacrylate (TTEGDA) were used as diluents for preparing a visible-light-cured dental composite. Cured samples of pastes prepared using the above diluents were stored separately for a period of 60 days in distilled water at 37 degrees C and tested for changes in compressive strength, diametral tensile strength and microhardness at specific intervals of 1, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 60 days. Samples prepared using TEGDMA showed better strength values initially compared with the composite specimens prepared using the rest of the diluents although they are found to deteriorate slowly upon storage in distilled water up to 60 days. Samples prepared using EDMA showed retention in properties whereas samples prepared using TEGDA and TTEGDA showed large deviations in strength values during the first 28 days, did not deteriorate further and were found either to show improvement upon ageing or to remain constant. Sorption values seem to reach a maximum for all composites and then to decrease further after 14 days whereas solubility is found to increase with time.