The purpose of this study was to enhance curing light penetration through resin inlays by modifying the thicknesses of the dentin, enamel, and translucent layers.

To investigate the layer dominantly affecting the power density of light curing units, resin wafers of each layer with 0.5 mm thickness were prepared and power density through resin wafers was measured with a dental radiometer (Cure Rite, Kerr). The dentin layer, which had the dominant effect on power density reduction, was decreased in thickness from 0.5 to 0.1 mm while thickness of the enamel layer was kept unchanged at 0.5 mm and thickness of the translucent layer was increased from 0.5 to 0.9 mm and vice versa, in order to maintain the total thickness of 1.5 mm of the resin inlay. Power density of various light curing units through resin inlays was measured.

Power density measured through 0.5 mm resin wafers decreased more significantly with the dentin layer than with the enamel and translucent layers (p < 0.05). Power density through 1.5 mm resin inlays increased when the dentin layer thickness was reduced and the enamel or translucent layer thickness was increased. The highest power density was recorded with dentin layer thickness of 0.1 mm and increased translucent layer thickness in all light curing units.

To enhance the power density through resin inlays, reducing the dentin layer thickness and increasing the translucent layer thickness would be recommendable when fabricating resin inlays.

This study investigated the effect of infection control barrier thickness on power density, wavelength, and light diffusion of light curing units.

Infection control barrier (Cleanwrap) in one-fold, two-fold, four-fold, and eight-fold, and a halogen light curing unit (Optilux 360) and a light emitting diode (LED) light curing unit (Elipar FreeLight 2) were used in this study. Power density of light curing units with infection control barriers covering the fiberoptic bundle was measured with a hand held dental radiometer (Cure Rite). Wavelength of light curing units fixed on a custom made optical breadboard was measured with a portable spectroradiometer (CS-1000). Light diffusion of light curing units was photographed with DSLR (Nikon D70s) as above.

Power density decreased significantly as the layer thickness of the infection control barrier increased, except the one-fold and two-fold in halogen light curing unit. Especially, when the barrier was four-fold and more in the halogen light curing unit, the decrease of power density was more prominent. The wavelength of light curing units was not affected by the barriers and almost no change was detected in the peak wavelength. Light diffusion of LED light curing unit was not affected by barriers, however, halogen light curing unit showed decrease in light diffusion angle when the barrier was four-fold and statistically different decrease when the barrier was eight-fold (p < 0.05).

It could be assumed that the infection control barriers should be used as two-fold rather than one-fold to prevent tearing of the barriers and subsequent cross contamination between the patients.

The purpose of this study was to measure the power density of light curing units transmitted through resin inlays fabricated with direct composite (Filtek Z350, Filtek Supreme XT) and indirect composite (Sinfony).

A3 shade of Z350, A3B and A3E shades of Supreme XT, and A3, E3, and T1 shades of Sinfony were used to fabricate the resin inlays in 1.5 mm thickness. The power density of a halogen light curing unit (Optilux 360) and an LED light curing unit (Elipar S10) through the fabricated resin inlays was measured with a hand held dental radiometer (Cure Rite). To investigate the effect of each composite layer consisting the resin inlays on light transmission, resin specimens of each shade were fabricated in 0.5 mm thickness and power density was measured through the resin specimens.

The power density through the resin inlays was lowest with the Z350 A3, followed by Supreme XT A3B and A3E. The power density was highest with Sinfony A3, E3, and T1 (p < 0.05). The power density through 0.5 mm thick resin specimens was lowest with dentin shades, Sinfony A3, Z350 A3, Supreme XT A3B, followed by enamel shades, Supreme XT A3E and Sinfony E3. The power density was highest with translucent shade, Sinfony T1 (p < 0.05).

Using indirect lab composites with dentin, enamel, and translucent shades rather than direct composites with one or two shades could be advantageous in transmitting curing lights through resin inlays.