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“A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF DEGREE OF
CONVERSION (DOC) OF HYBRID COMPOSITE
RESINS WITH NANOCOMPOSITE RESINS
WHEN EXPOSED TO VISIBLE LIGHT CURE
(VLC) UNIT AND LIGHT EMITTING DIODES
(LED): AN IN-VITRO STUDY.”
Ruchi Dhir Sharma¹, Jaideep Sharma ², D. ARUNAGIRI ³
¹ Senior Lecturer, Abstract
Department of Conservative BACKGROUND: Recent advances in resin adhesives and restorative materials, as well as an increased demand
Dentistry & Endodontics,
,² Senior Lecturer, for esthetics, have lead to the introduction of newer resin-based composites like nanocomposites and light curing
Department of Conservative units like Light Emitting Diodes.
Dentistry & Endodontics, AIM: The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of conventional Quartz Tungsten Halogen (QTH)
Himachal Institute of Dental Sciences,
Poanta Sahib, H.P curing unit and Blue Light Emitting Diode (LED) on degree of conversion of hybrid composite (Filtek Z250, 3M
ESPE) and nanocomposite (Filtek Z350, 3M ESPE) resins.
³ Principal & HOD, METHOD: Forty brass molds measuring 6±0.2 mm in length and 4mm in diameter were used. The molds were
Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar
Dental College,Patna, Bihar. divided into 4 groups of 10 each and were prepared according to restorative resin and light cure unit used-
Hybrid/QTH, Nanocomposites/QTH, Hybrid/LED and Nanocomposites /LED. Degree of Conversion was
measured by using Scraping method. The results were analyzed using ‘One way-ANOVA and Independent t-
tests’.
Results: Maximum degree of conversion was obtained for the Hybrid composites exposed both to LED and QTH.
LEDs were found to cause greater degree of conversion than QTH in both the composites.
Key words
Nanocomposites, Hybrid Composites, Quartz Tungsten Halogen (QTH), Light emitting Diode (LED), Degree of
Conversion, Depth of Cure.
INTRODUCTION nanocomposites consist of two fillers- nano particles
Recent advances in resin adhesives and restorative and nano clusters which allow higher filler loading,
materials, as well as an increased demand for thereby, exhibiting high strength of hybrids and high
esthetics, have stimulated a great increase in the use polishability.
of resin-based composites. Central to the placement With ongoing focus to facilitate greater degree of
of direct tooth-colored resin restorations is the need monomer conversion, that in turn enhances physical,
for adequate resin polymerization. However, despite mechanical and chemical properties, as well as
the remarkable developments in the technology of clinical performance in composite resins3 newer
the restorative resins, clinical failures of resin curing units have also been developed like QTH,
restorations are still reported due to polymerization Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), Plasma Arc (PAC), or
shrinkage and low Depth of Cure of restorative laser curing lights. Though halogen-curing lights
materials which in turn causes degradation, have been popular for polymerization, they present
substance loss, bulk fracture, discoloration with certain disadvantages like heat generation that can
marginal staining of restoration. This addresses the possibly harm the dental pulp, bulb silvering that
need to characterize properties like: (a.) polymeric reduces the intensity of emitted light, gradual loss of
component - to minimize the deleterious effects of light output and frequent bulb-replacement.4
contraction stresses developed during The introduction of LEDs, based on gallium nitride
polymerization and (b.) candidate light curing unit- technology, in 1995 is the latest innovation to address
to improve the degree of conversion of restorative the shortcomings in composite materials and light
Address For Correspondence: resin.1 curing units. LEDs use doped semiconductors for the
Dr. Ruchi Dhir Sharma, For this reason, several new materials have been generation of light and present a spectral bandwidth
Senior Lecturer, developed with modifications in filler technology, of 440-500nm. They produce minimal heat. Though
Department of Conservative
Dentistry & Endodontics, filler distribution, filler loading and alterations in the manufacturers claim better efficiency of LEDs over
Himachal Institute of Dental Sciences, matrices2 like micro-hybrids, packable composites halogen curing units, there is little information
Poanta Sahib, H.P.
and more recently, nanocomposites that have been concerning their efficacy in the dental literature.
added to the vocabulary of restorative dentistry. The Hence, this in-vitro study evaluated depth of cured
© Indian Journal of Dental Sciences. All rights are reserved 06
resin as an estimation of degree of conversion of monomer into ONE-WAY ANOVA
polymer in brass molds restored with the microhybrids and nano-
composite resins when exposed to QTH curing unit and LEDs.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The composite resins used in the study included microhybrids (Filtek
Z250, 3M ESPE) and nanocomposites (Filtek Z350, 3M ESPE). The
light cure units used in the study were- QTH: CU 100 A (Q-LUX) and
LED: LITEXTM 695 (DENTAMERICA). The light intensities of
both the curing units were comparable (CU-100A: 540mW/cm2;
LITEX TM 695: 508mW/cm2).
The Degree of Conversion was evaluated according to the procedure
defined by the ‘International Standard Organization for INDEPENDENT t-TEST
Standardization 4049: 2000 (E) 5, for resin – based filling materials.
Forty cylindrical brass molds were prepared. Each cylinder had 4mm
of internal diameter and 6mm of length. All the molds were measured
for accuracy using a ‘mm scale’ and were standardized to ± 0.2 mm.
All the molds were divided into 4 experimental groups of 10 samples
each as in Figure 1.
RESULTS:
Table 1 and Graph 1 shows the Degree of Conversion measured by
Digital Vernier Callipers in each sample in all the experimental
groups. It showed that Hybrid Composite showed significantly
greater Degree of Conversion (p< 0.05) than Nanocomposite on
exposure to QTH and LED.
Comparing the means, Degree of Conversion for experimental groups
was observed in the following order-
Hybrid Composite exposed to LED > Hybrid Composite exposed to
Group wise, each mold was filled with respective composite resin QTH > Nanocomposite exposed to LED > Nanocomposite exposed to
with the help of Teflon coated composite filling instrument, while QTH.
stabilizing the bottom surface of mold on a glass slab. Table 2 and Graph 2 show the Degree of Conversion measured by
Another transparent glass slab was placed on the top surface of the Digital Micrometer in each sample in all the experimental groups.
filled mold to extrude any extra resin out of the mold. After removal of Table 3 and Graph 3 show the Mean Values for Degree of Conversion
the glass slab, a mylar strip was placed on the top surface of the mold. measured by ‘Digital Micrometer and Digital Vernier Callipers’ in
While keeping the tip of respective curing unit on the upper surface of each sample in all the experimental groups.
mylar strip, the specimen was cured for recommended time (as per the Both micromeater readings and ‘mean of Micrometer and Digital
manufacturer’s instructions). Any soft (unpolymerized) composite Caliper readings’ showed that statistically, HYBRID COMPOSITE
resin was scraped off from the bottom surface with the help of Teflon showed significantly greater Degree of Conversion (p< 0.05) than
coated cement carrier. Nanocomposite on exposure to QTH and LED. Statistically, there was
no significant difference in Degree of Conversion for Hybrid
The measurement of Degree of Conversion was carried out with the Composite exposed to QTH and LED. However, significant
help of Digital Micrometer’ and the Digital Callipers’, readings were difference was observed for LED and QTH curing units in
taken for each sample. The digital micrometer measured the highest polymerizing Nanocomposites with LED causing greater degree of
point of unevenly scraped material and Digital Callipers measured the conversion than QTH. Hence, both micromeater readings and ‘mean
deepest point of unevenly scraped material. of Micrometer and Digital Caliper readings’ showed that Degree of
Conversion was observed in following order-
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. Hybrid Composite exposed to LED = Hybrid Composite exposed to
Souce of Support:Nill, Conflict of Interest: None declared QTH > NanoComposite exposed to LED > NanoComposite exposed
The statistical analysis for the Degree of Conversion in Hybrid to QTH.
composite resins and Nanocomposite resins on exposure to QTH and Hence, it can be concluded that Hybrid composites when exposed to
LED was analyzed using One- way ANOVA followed by Independent LED exhibited greater Degree of Conversion than nanocomposites.
t-tests.
© Indian Journal of Dental Sciences. All rights are reserved 07
DEGREE OF CONVERSION MEASURED BY DIGITAL
MICROMETER IN EACH SAMPLE IN ALL THE
EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS.
Degree Of Conversion Measured By Digital Vernier Callipers In Each
Sample In All The Experimental Groups. MEAN VALUES FOR DEGREE OF CONVERSION MEASURED
BY DIGITAL VERNIER CALLIPERS & MICROMETER IN
EACH SAMPLE IN ALL THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS
DISCUSSION:
Degree of Conversion is defined as the percentage of carbon double
bonds converted to single bonds during the polymerization reaction.6
Measurement of the degree of conversion on material is the most
sensitive indicator of depth of cure7. In the present study, Scraping
Method was chosen because it was simple to perform, reproducible
and extensively used by other researchers.8 The Degree of
Conversion was evaluated according to the procedure defined by the
‘International Standard Organization for Standardization 4049: 2000
(E)’ for resin – based filling materials.9
Opaque moulds are used to avoid transmission of light from mould to
the composite material. Brass molds were used for the study because
they were easily available and satisfied the criteria for mould being
opaque.7 After curing, the specimens were evaluated for degree of
conversion using micrometer as per ISO Specification 4049: 1988.7
The depth of cure is greater at center than at the edge indicating non-
uniform depth of cure of restorative resin across the area of the mould.
Scraping pattern of uncured material from the bottom of the mould in
our study is in accordance with this observation. Hence, in order to
obtain reproducible and comparative results, measurements should
always be taken in the center of the mould with the help of
micrometer.7 However, in order to obtain exact degree of conversion
in all the samples in all the groups, readings for degree of conversion
were also taken with the help of Digital Callipers.
Micrometer and mean of Micrometer and Digital Vernier Callipers
readings indicated higher degree of polymerization in hybrid
composites as compared to nanocomposites on exposure to both the
light cure units which is again attributed to increased microgap
© Indian Journal of Dental Sciences. All rights are reserved 08
formations in nanocomposites due to higher filler loading. Also,
smaller sized particles in nanocomposites cause scattering of light and
decrease it’s absorption, thereby, reducing the overall polymerization
of material.9 Comparing the curing units, statistically no significant
difference was observed for LED and QTH curing units in Souce of Support:Nill, Conflict of Interest: None declared
polymerizing Hybrid Composites. However, regarding
nanocomposites, LEDs were found to produce greater degree of
conversion than QTH. Such a result can be attributed to narrow
spectrum of LEDs which is more close to the absorption spectrum of
photoinitiator (Camphorquinone) present in nanocomposite.
However, Vernier Calliper readings suggested that LEDs caused
greater degree of conversion than QTH in both the composites.
Hence, it can be concluded that LED LCUs were as effective as/or
more effective than a halogen LCU for polymerization of the
composite. It is in accordance with the studies carried out by other
researchers.10, 11
CONCLUSION
Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that Hybrid
composites exhibited greater degree of conversion than
Nanocomposite resins which can be attributed to higher filler load and
decreased particle size of Nanocomposites. LEDs were found to
cause greater degree of conversion than QTH in both the composites
which can be attributed to its narrow emission spectrum.
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© Indian Journal of Dental Sciences. All rights are reserved 09
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