The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of thickness, filling methods and curing methods on the polymerization of dual cured core materials by means of microhardness test.

Two dual cured core materials, MultiCore Flow (Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Schaan, Liechtenstein) and Bis-Core (Bisco Inc., Schaumburg, IL, USA) were used in this study. 2 mm (bulky filled), 4 mm (bulky filled), 6 mm (bulky and incrementally filled) and 8 mm (bulky and incrementally filled)-thickness specimens were prepared with light cure or self cure mode. After storage at 37℃ for 24 hours, the Knoop hardness values (KHN) of top and bottom surfaces were measured and the microhardness ratio of top and bottom surfaces was calculated. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Scheffe multiple comparison test, with α = 0.05.

The effect of thickness on the polymerization of dual cured composites showed material specific results. In 2, 4 and 6 mm groups, the KHN of two materials were not affected by thickness. However, in 8 mm group of MultiCore Flow, the KHN of the bottom surface was lower than those of other groups (p < 0.05). The effect of filling methods on the polymerization of dual cured composites was different by their thickness or materials. In 6 mm thickness, there was no significant difference between bulk and incremental filling groups. In 8 mm thickness, Bis-Core showed no significant difference between groups. However, in MultiCore Flow, the microhardness ratio of bulk filling group was lower than that of incremental filling group (p < 0.05). The effect of curing methods on the polymerization of dual cured composites showed material specific results. In Bis-Core, the KHN of dual cured group were higher than those of self cured group at both surfaces (p < 0.05). However, in MultiCore Flow, the results were not similar at both surfaces. At the top surface, dual cured group showed higher KHN than that of self cured group (p < 0.05). However, in the bottom surface, dual cured group showed lower value than that of self cured group (p < 0.05).

It was reported that esthetic composite resin restoration reinforces the strength of remaining tooth structure with preserving the natural tooth structure. However, it is unknown how much the strength would be recovered. The purpose of this study was to compare the fracture resistance of three types of undermined cavity filled with composite resin with that of non-cavitated natural tooth.

Forty sound upper molars were allocated randomly into four groups of 10 teeth. After flattening occlusal enamel, undermined cavities were prepared in thirty teeth to make three types of specimens with various thickness of occlusal structure (Group 1 ~ 3). All the cavity have the 5 mm width mesiodistally and 7 mm depth bucco-lingually. Another natural 10 teeth (Group 4) were used as a control group. Teeth in group 1 have remaining occlusal structure about 1 mm thickness, which was composed of mainly enamel and small amount of dentin. In Group 2, remained thickness was about 1.5 mm, including 0.5 mm thickness dentin. In Group 3, thickness was about 2.0 mm, including 1 mm thickness dentin. Every effort was made to keep the remaining dentin thickness about 0.5 mm from the pulp space in cavitated groups. All the thickness was evaluated with radiographic Length Analyzer program.

After acid etching with 37% phosphoric acid, one-bottle adhesive (Single Bond™, 3M/ESPE, USA) was applied following the manufacturer's recommendation and cavities were incrementally filled with hybrid composite resin (Filtek Z-250™, 3M/ESPE, USA). Teeth were stored in distilled water for one day at room temperature, after then, they were finished and polished with Sof-Lex system.

All specimens were embedded in acrylic resin and static load was applied to the specimens with a 3 mm diameter stainless steel rod in an Universal testing machine and cross-head speed was 1 mm/min. Maximum load in case of fracture was recorded for each specimen.

The data were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a Tukey test at the 95% confidence level.

The results were as follows:

Fracture resistance of the undermined cavity filled with composite resin was about 75% of the natural tooth.

Within the limits of this study, it can be concluded the fracture resistance of the undermined cavity filled with composite resin was lower than that of natural teeth, however remaining tooth structure may be supported and saved by the reinforcement with adhesive restoration, even if that portion consists of mainly enamel and a little dentin structure.

This study was to investigate the influence of combining composite resins with different elastic modulus, and occlusal loading condition on the stress distribution of restored notch-shaped non-carious cervical lesion using 3D finite element (FE) analysis.

The extracted maxillary second premolar was scanned serially with Micro-CT. The 3D images were processed by 3D-DOCTOR. ANSYS was used to mesh and analyze 3D FE model. A notch-shaped cavity was modeled and filled with hybrid, flowable resin or a combination of both. After restoration, a static load of 500N was applied in a point-load condition at buccal cusp and palatal cusp. The stress data were analyzed using analysis of principal stress.

Results showed that combining method such that apex was restored by material with high elastic modulus and the occlusal and cervical cavosurface margin by small amount of material with low elastic modulus was the most profitable method in the view of tensile stress that was considered as the dominant factor jeopardizing the restoration durability and promoting the lesion progression.

The purpose of this study was to compare the sealing abilities of four endodontic temporary restorative materials using a methylene blue dye penetration test under dynamic loading. Standardized access cavities were prepared in forty-four intact human permanent molar teeth, and the cavities were restored with Caviton, MD-Temp, IRM, or ZOE. After thermocycling, an intermittent load of 98 N at 1 Hz was applied for 1,000 cycles to the long axis of the functional cusp of each of the teeth, which were immersed in a 1% methylene blue solution. The teeth were split in half, and the linear depth of dye penetration was evaluated according to the criteria. The results were analyzed using one-way ANOVA (p = 0.05) and Duncan's multiple range test. The results demonstrated that Caviton and MD-Temp showed significantly lower microleakage than IRM and ZOE. It was concluded that Caviton and MD-Temp exhibited better sealing ability than IRM and ZOE under dynamic loading.

The purpose of this study was to compare the apical microleakage in root canal filled with Resilon by methacrylate-based root canal sealer or 2 different self-adhesive resin cements. Seventy single-rooted extracted human teeth were sectioned at the CEJ perpendicular to the long axis of the roots with diamond disk. Canal preparation was performed with crown-down technique using Profile NiTi rotary instruments and GG drill. Each canal was prepared to ISO size 40, .04 taper and 1 mm short from the apex. The prepared roots were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups of 15 roots each and 5 roots each for positive and negative control group. The root canals were filled by lateral condensation as follows. Group 1: Guttapercha with AH-26, Group 2: Resilon with RealSeal primer & sealer, Group 3: Resilon with Rely-X Unicem, Group 4: Resilon with BisCem. After stored in 37℃, 100% humidity chamber for 7 days, the roots were coated with 2 layers of nail varnish except apical 3 mm. The roots were then immersed in 1% methylene blue dye for 7 days. Apical microleakage was measured by a maximum length of linear dye penetration after roots were separated longitudinally. One way ANOVA and Scheffe's post-hoc test were performed for statistical analysis. Group 1 showed the least apical leakage and there was no statistical significance between Group 2, 3, 4. According to the results, the self adhesive resin cement is possible to use as sealer instead of primer & sealant when root canal filled by Resilon.

The objective of this study was to compare dentin shear bond strength (DSBS) of dentin bonding agents (DBAs) cured with a plasma arc (PAC) light curing unit (LCU) and those cured with a light emitting diode (LED) LCU. Optical properties were also analyzed for Elipar freelight 2 (3M ESPE); LED LCU, Apollo 95E (DMT Systems); PAC LCU and VIP Junior (Bisco); Halogen LCU. The DBAs used for DSBS test were Scotchbond Multipurpose (3M ESPE), Singlebond 2 (3M ESPE) and Clearfil SE Bond (Kuraray). After DSBS testing, fractured specimens were analyzed for failure modes with SEM.

The total irradiance and irradiance between 450 nm and 490 nm of the LCUs were different. LED LCU showed narrow spectral distribution around its peak at 462 nm whereas PAC and Halogen LCU showed a broad spectrum. There were no significant differences in mean shear bond strength among different LCUs (P > 0.05) but were significant differences among different DBAs (P < 0.001)

The purpose of this study was to compare the normal and two times of application time of six self-etching primers applied to enamel using microshear bond strength (uSBS) test and the finding of scanning electronic microscope (SEM).

Crown of sixty human molars were bisected mesiodistally and buccal and lingual enamel of crowns were partially exposed and polished with 600 grit SiC papers. They were divided into one of two equal groups subdivided into one of six equal groups (n = 10) by self-etching primer adhesives.

After the same manufacture's adhesive resin and composites were bonded on the enamel surface of each group, the bonded specimens were subjected to uSBS testing and also observed under SEM.

In conclusion, generally two times of primer application time increased the enamel uSBS, especially with the statistical increase of bond strength in adhesives involving high-pH primers.

The aim of this study was to develop a method for measuring the slumping resistance of resin composites and to relate it to the rheological characteristics.

Five commercial hybrid composites (Z100, Z250, DenFil, Tetric Ceram, ClearFil) and a nanofill composite (Z350) were used to make disc-shaped specimens of 2 mm thickness. An aluminum mold with square shaped cutting surface was pressed onto the composite discs to make standardized imprints. The imprints were light-cured either immediately (non-slumped) or after waiting for 3 minutes at 25℃ (slumped). White stone replicas were made and then scanned for topography using a laser 3-D profilometer. Slumping resistance index (SRI) was defined as the ratio of the groove depth of the slumped specimen to that of the non-slumped specimen. The pre-cure viscoelasticity of each composite was evaluated by an oscillatory shear test and normal stress was measured by a squeeze test using a rheometer. Flow test was also performed using a flow tester. Correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between the viscoelastic properties and the SRI.

SRI varied between the six materials (Z100 < DenFil < Z250 < ClearFil < Tetric Ceram < Z350). The SRI was strongly correlated with the viscous (loss) shear modulus G' but not with the loss tangent. Also, slumping resistance was more closely related to the resistance to shear flow than to the normal stress.

Slumping tendency could be quantified using the imprint method and SRI. The index may be applicable to evaluate the clinical handling characteristics of composites.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of various occlusal loading sites and directions on the stress distribution of the cervical composite resin restorations of maxillary second premolar, using 3 dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) analysis. Extracted maxillary second premolar was scanned serially with Micro-CT (SkyScan1072; SkyScan, Aartselaar, Belgium). The 3D images were processed by 3D-DOCTOR (Able Software Co., Lexington, MA, USA). HyperMesh (Altair Engineering, Inc., Troy, USA) and ANSYS (Swanson Analysis Systems, Inc., Houston, USA) was used to mesh and analyze 3D FE model. Notch shaped cavity was filled with hybrid (Z100, 3M Dental Products, St. Paul, MN, USA) or flowable resin (Tetric Flow, Vivadent Ets., FL-9494-Schaan, Liechtenstein) and each restoration was simulated with adhesive layer thickness (40 µm). A static load of 200 N was applied on the three points of the buccal incline of the palatal cusp and oriented in 20° increments, from vertical (long axis of the tooth) to oblique 40° direction towards the buccal. The maximum principal stresses in the occlusal and cervical cavosurface margin and vertical section of buccal surfaces of notch-shaped class V cavity were analyzed using ANSYS. As the angle of loading direction increased, tensile stress increased. Loading site had little effect on it. Under same loading condition, Tetric Flow showed relatively lower stress than Z100 overall, except both point angles. Loading direction and the elastic modulus of restorative material seem to be important factor on the cervical restoration.