| Abstract |
OBJECTIVES:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate how curing protocol affects the extent of polymerization of dual-cured resin cements.
METHODS:
Four commercial resin cements were used (DuoLink, Panavia F 2.0, Variolink II and Enforce). The extent of polymerization of the resin cements cured under different conditions was measured using a (1)H Stray-Field MRI method, which also enabled to probe molecular mobility in the kHz frequency range.
RESULTS:
Resin cements show well distinct behaviours concerning chemical cure. Immediate photo-activation appears to be the best choice for higher filler loaded resin cements (Panavia F 2.0 and Variolink). A photo-activation delay (5 min) did not induce any significant difference in the extent of polymerization of all cements.
SIGNIFICANCE:
The extent of polymerization of dual-cured resin cements considerably changed among products under various curing protocols. Clinicians should optimize the materials choice taking into account the curing characteristics of the cements. |
