Clinical significance of polymerization shrinkage of composite resins

The volumetric polymerization shrinkage of some composite resin restorative materials was measured with a modified dilatometer. It is emphasized that only the shrinkage from the start of the gelation, the rigid contraction of the material, is of clinical relevance. The amount of gelation was determined with an instrument that indicates the first moment at which the setting material is rigid enough to exert tensile forces. In addition, the influences of storage, testing conditions, and mixing ratio on the rigid contraction were studied for one light-cured as well as some chemically cured composite resins.