Tipo de lámpara de fotocurado y la profundidad de polimerización de resinas: estudio in vitro.

Abstract

Introduction: Depth of cure plays a significant role in the success of restorations. This depth can vary depending on differences between light sources, the light-curing technique employed, and the specific characteristics of the composite resins. Objective: To determine the effect of the light-curing unit type—classified by cost (low, medium, and high)—and the composite resin type on the depth of cure. Materials and Methods: This was a quantitative laboratory study using an in vitro experimental analytical design. The sample consisted of 90 specimens distributed across nine experimental groups, utilizing three types of light-curing units and three types of composite resins. Depth of cure was determined using the scraping method established in ISO standard 4049, and data were processed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 29. Results: No significant difference was found between the 3M Elipar and Woodpecker O-Star units when used with the bulk-fill resin; these combinations yielded the greatest depths of cure. Conversely, the lowest depth of cure was observed with the combination of the lowest-cost unit and the opaque resin. Conclusion: The opaque resin exhibited the greatest variation in depth of cure depending on the light-curing unit used. The A1 Body resin also showed differences in the depth achieved. In contrast, the bulk-fill resin showed no significant differences in depth of cure associated with the type of light-curing unit employed.