[Several properties of a newly developed light-cured anterior restorative composite resin "Graft LC"]

A newly developed light-cured anterior restorative composite resin "Graft LC" by GC Co. is characterized by having Vita VMK 68 shades and containing glass filler particles treated with graft binders. Several properties of the resin were examined by using the SEM, surface recorder, and color analyzer. The Graft LC resin was classified as semi-hybrid resin. The filler particles of Graft LC resin comprised two kinds of glass filler in which Si, Ba and Al, and Si were detected. Graft LC resin showed a relatively small surface roughness after polishing in spite of the semi-hybrid resin. According to the degradation test in the alkaline solution, the polished surfaces of Graft LC resin became rough and the depth of subsurface damage layer increased with time. However, the filler particles were retained in the subsurface damage layers. An Ar ion etching employed for SEM preparation is useful to observe the subsurface damage layer distinctly under the SEM. No color change was found even after long-term immersion in a distilled water, though the color of Graft LC resin changed greatly due to irradiation.