"Residual stress" can be developed during polymerization of the dental composite and it can be remained after this process was completed. The total amount of the force which applied to the composite restoration can be calculated by the sum of external and internal force. For the complete understanding of the restoration failure behavior, these two factors should be considered. In this experiment, I compared the residual stress of the recently developed nanofilled dental composite by ring slitting methods.

The composites used in this study can be categorized in two groups, one is microhybrid type-Z250, as control group, and nanofilled type-Grandio, Filtek Supreme, Ceram-X, as experimental ones. Composite ring was made and marked two reference points on the surface. Then measure the change of the distance between these two points before and after ring slitting. From the distance change, average circumferential residual stress (σθ) was calculated. In 10 minutes and 1 hour measurement groups, Filtek Supreme showed higher residual stress than Z250 and Ceram-X. In 24 hour group, Filtek showed higher stress than the other groups.

Following the result of this experiment, nanofilled composite showed similar or higher residual stress than Z250, and when comparing the Z250 and Filtek Supreme, which have quite similar matrix components, Filtek Supreme groups showed higher residual stress.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the difference in the surface roughness after polishing and to evaluate the difference in color stability after immersion in a dye solution among four types of composite resin materials. Four light-polymerized composite resins (Shade A2) with different sized filler content (a nanofilled, a hybrid, a microfilled, a flowble) were used. Average surface roughness (Ra) was measured with a surface roughness tester (Surftest Formtracer) before and after polishing with aluminum oxide abrasive discs (Super-Snap). Color of specimens before and after staining with 2% methylene blue solution were measured using spectrophotometer (CM-3700d) with SCI geometries. The results of Ra and ΔE were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), a Scheffe multiple comparison test and Student t-test (p = 0.05). After polishing, Ra values were decreased regardless of type of composite resins. In surface roughness after polishing and color stability after staining, nanofilled composite resin was not different with other composite resins except flowable resins.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bond strength of a new Single step system with different curing mode composites, and to evaluate the effect of the intermediate resins which have different hydrophilicity on bonding ability by means of the micro shear bond testing and TEM examination for the adhesive interface. The adhesive used in this study was an experimental single step system (Bisco Inc., Schaumburg, IL). Experimental groups were produced by using six kinds of intermediate resin having different hydrophilicity that was hydrophilic, hydrophobic and most hydrophobic resin and as filled or not after applying adhesive. Each experimental group was further divided into two subgroups whether the adhesive was light cured or not. Dual cured composite (Bis Core, Bisco Ltd., Schaumburg, IL) was placed on the adhesive layer as light cure or self cure mode. The results of bond strength were statistically analyzed using one way ANOVA and multiple comparisons are made using Tukey's test at α < 0.05 level.

The results of this study were as follows;

1. The application of intermediate resin did not increase the bond strength for light cured composite.

2. The bond strength of an experimental adhesive with self cured composite was significantly increased by the application of intermediate resin layer.

3. The bond strength of adhesive was irrespective of the cure or not of itself before intermediate resin layer applied.

4. As applied hydrophilic resin layer was, the initial bond strength was higher than both hydrophobic and most hydrophobic one used but there was no significance.

Using a single step adhesive with dual/self cured composite, the incompatibility between both of them should be solved by the application of intermediate hydrophobic resin to reduce the adhesive permeability. However, Single step adhesive can be used in the light cured composite restoration without any decrease of the initial bond strength.

The purposes of this study were to examine the variability of adhesive thickness on the different site of the cavity wall when used total-etch system without filler and simplified self-etch system with filler and to evaluate the relationship between variable adhesive thickness and microtensile bond strength to the cavity wall.

A class I cavity in six human molars was prepared to expose all dentinal walls. Three teeth were bonded with a filled adhesive, Clearfil™ SE bond and the other three teeth were bonded with unfilled adhesives, Scotchbond™ Multi Purpose. Morphology and thickness of adhesive layer were examined using fluorescence microscope. Bonding agent thickness was measured at three points along the axial cavity wall, edge of cavity margin (rim), halfway down each cavity wall (hlf), internal angle of the cavity (ang). After reproducing the adhesive thickness at rim, hlf and ang, micro-tensile bond strength were evaluated.

For both bonding agents, adhesive thickness of ang was significantly thicker than that of rim and hlf (P < 0.05). As reproduced the adhesive thickness, microtensile bond strength was increased as adhesive thickness was increased in two bonding agents.

Adhesive thickness of internal angle of the cavity was significantly thicker than that of the cavity margin and the halfway cavity wall for both bonding agents. Microtensile bond strength of the thick adhesive layer at the internal angle of the cavity was higher than that of the thin adhesive layer at the cavity margin and the halfway cavity in the two bonding systems.