Effect of new light curing units on microleakage and microhardness of resin sealants

To determine new developed light curing units with shorter curing times effects on microleakage and microhardness values for resin fissure sealants. Resin filled sealant (UltraSeal-XT), resin unfilled sealant (Delton Type-II) and ormocer-based sealant (Admira-Seal) were light cured with a quartz-tungsten-halogen (QTH), two LED light and a high power LED. Two hundred and forty extracted human molars were randomly allocated into four groups according to used light-curing unit and three subgroups were formed for three different fissure sealant materials. Specimens were immersed in 0.5% basic fuchsin for 24 h, sectioned and examined under a stereomicroscope, and scored for marginal microleakage. Knoop hardness number (KHN) readings were measured after 48 h. Statistical analyses of test were found in significant difference both microleakage and microhardness values between the various light curing units. The time saving approaches in the curing light were determined higher microhardness, although it was found in higher microleakage.