ABSTRACT
This study investigated the influence of curing lights and modes on the elution of leachable components from dental composites. Four LED/halogen curing lights (LED-Elipar Freelight [FL], 3M-ESPE and GC e-light [EL], GC; high intensity halogen-Elipar Trilight [TL], 3M-ESPE; very high intensity halogen-Astralis 10 [AS], Ivoclar Vivadent) were selected for this study. Pulse (EL1), continuous (FL1, EL2, TL1), turbo (EL3, AS) and soft-start (FL2, EL4, TL2) curing modes of the various lights were examined. A conventional continuous cure halogen light (Max [MX], Dentsply-Caulk) was used for comparison. Three composite (Z100, 3M-ESPE) specimens (6.5 mm in diameter and 1-mm thick) were made for each curing light-mode combination. After polymerization, the specimens were stored in air at 37 degrees C for 24 hours and incubated in acetonitrile at 37 degrees C for 24 hours. BisGMA and TEGDMA extracts were isolated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Data were subjected to analysis using one-way ANOVA/Scheffe's post-hoc test and Independent Samples t-test at significance level 0.05. The total monomer (BisGMA and TEGDMA) eluted ranged from 8.75 to 27.97 ppm for FL1 and AS, respectively. Significantly more unreacted monomers were leached from composites cured with all modes of EL and AS when compared to MX. No significant difference in the total monomer eluted was observed between the two modes of FL/TL and MX Although composites cured with EL2 released significantly less monomer than EL1, 3 and 4, no significant difference in the total monomer eluted was observed between the continuous and soft-start modes of FL and TL. The elution of leachable components from composites appears to be curing light specific rather than light source (LED or halogen) and curing mode specific.