Effect of light wavelength on polymerization of light-cured resins

Experimental light-cured composite resins were exposed to a narrow-band light at a constant quantum number using a narrow-band interference filter. The IR spectra of the cured resin specimens were measured before and after extraction of residual monomers. Degree of conversion (DC) and polymerization conversion (PC) were calculated from these IR spectra. The light in 410-550 nm could be polymerized. With a brief exposure (5 s), DC and PC were affected by the wavelength. The effect of wavelength between 410 and 490 nm decreased with increasing duration of exposure. The most efficient wavelength was 470 nm and the most adequate wavelength was in the 450-490 nm wavelength range. The absorbance of camphorquinone strongly affected polymerization, especially during the initial stage. However, from the relationship between DC or PC and exposure energy, polymerization depended not only on the wavelength of the light, but also on the exposure energy.