Light-Curing Units, Photoinitiators System, and Monomers on Physico-Mechanical Properties of Experimental Composite Resins

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the physico-mechanical properties of experimental composite resins made with different resin matrix and light-curing units. Experimental composite groups were divided according to monomers (BisGMA + TEGDMA-BT and BisGMA + BisEMA + UDMA + TEGDMA-BBUT) and photoinitiator system (camphorquinone-CQ and 1-phenyl-1,2-propanedione-PPD). A quartz tungsten halogen (QTH) or light-emitting diode (LED) were used to light cure all materials. Knoop microhardness (n = 10) was determined using Knoop microhardness test. Compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, and Young modulus (n = 7) were obtained using a universal testing machine at crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/min. The data were submitted to a three-way ANOVA and the Tukey post-hoc test (α = 0.05). QTH presented the highest total irradiance values and similar total radiant exposure to LED. For the compressive strength test, BT-PPD light-cured with LED group showed the lowest mean value. BT-CQ light-cured with LED group exhibited the lowest diametral tensile strength results. The BBUT-composite resins presented lowest Young modulus values, with no statistical difference between light-curing units (QTH and LED) and photoinitiators system (CQ and PPD). Application of QTH or LED in BT-based composite resins with PPD photoinitiator generated suitable results regarding the physico-mechanical properties.