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Light curing in orthodontics; should we be concerned?

Neil McCusker1, Siu Man Lee, Stephen Robinson

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Dental Materials : Official Publication of the Academy of Dental Materials
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Summary

Dental curing lights pose low short-term eye risks for patients and staff, even with increased irradiance. Reflected light from orthodontic brackets also presents minimal risk, though long-term effects of blue light exposure remain unknown.

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Published on: November 9, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Biomaterials Science
  • Dental Materials

Background:

  • Light-cured materials are widely used in orthodontics, with advancements in light curing unit (LCU) technology leading to increased irradiance levels.
  • The rising irradiance of LCUs necessitates an understanding of safe exposure limits to protect patients and dental professionals.
  • Assessing risks associated with both direct and reflected light from LCUs is crucial for clinical safety protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the safe exposure times for direct and reflected light from modern dental curing units.
  • To evaluate the weighted irradiance and safe exposure parameters across various LCU types and distances.
  • To investigate the influence of orthodontic bracket materials on reflected light safety.

Main Methods:

  • Evaluated weighted irradiance and safe exposure times of 11 dental curing lights (plasma arc, halogen, LED) at distances from 2-60 cm using a spectroradiometer.
  • Determined these parameters for reflected light from the most powerful LCU at 10 cm during simulated bonding of various orthodontic brackets (stainless steel, ceramic, composite).

Main Results:

  • The LED Fusion lamp exhibited the highest weighted irradiance and shortest safe exposure time.
  • Maximum safe exposure times without eye protection were 2.5 min (patient, 10 cm), 22.1 min (operator, 30 cm), and 88.8 min (assistant, 60 cm).
  • Reflected light posed lower risks, influenced by bracket material and shape.

Conclusions:

  • Short-term risks from direct and reflected light of dental curing lights (halogen, LED, plasma) are low with appropriate safety measures.
  • Reflected light from orthodontic brackets during bonding presents minimal risk.
  • Potential long-term ocular effects of prolonged blue light exposure from LCUs require further investigation.