Temperature rise caused in the pulp chamber under simulated intrapulpal microcirculation with different light-curing...

Area of Science:

• Dental materials science
• Biomaterials engineering
• Conservative dentistry

Background:

• Intrapulpal temperature rise during light curing is a concern for dental pulp vitality.
• Simulating pulpal blood microcirculation is crucial for accurate temperature assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare intrapulpal temperature changes induced by different light-curing unit (LCU) modes.
• To evaluate the efficacy of high-intensity LCU in minimizing thermal stress on the dental pulp.

Main Methods:

• Extracted human incisors were used in a model simulating pulpal blood flow.
• J-type thermocouples measured temperature rise in the pulp chamber under varying LCU intensities and durations (1000-3200 mW/cm(2)).
• Light source was positioned 2 mm from the incisor's labial surface.

Main Results:

• The highest temperature rise was observed with 1000 mW/cm(2) for 15 seconds (2.6°C ± 0.54°C).
• The lowest temperature rise was recorded with 3200 mW/cm(2) for 3 seconds (1.74°C ± 0.52°C), significantly lower than other groups.
• All tested modes resulted in temperature increases below the critical 5.6°C threshold.

Conclusions:

• High-intensity light curing (3200 mW/cm(2) for 3 seconds) minimizes intrapulpal temperature rise.
• The study confirms that tested light-curing protocols are safe for dental pulp vitality.
• Optimizing light-curing parameters can mitigate risks associated with thermal damage to the pulp.