LIGHT CURING UNITS

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 INTRODUCTION

• Light activated resin system utilizes light energy to initiate polymerization.

• Electromagnetic energy contained in light photons have the ability to activate free radicals, via
interaction with photoinitiator molecules.
• Light cure composites were introduced to overcome the limitations of self curing composites

– Less porosity and discoloration.

– Longer working time.

– Ease of manipulation.

– Increased hardness and wear resistance of superficial layer layer.

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Light Curing Unit in Dentistry

Is an instrument capable of generating and transmitting a high

intensity light with a wavelength oscillating between 300-700 nm
that is designed specifically to polymerize light sensitive dental
material.

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TERMS USED TO DESCRIBE LIGHT SOURCES

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 ULTRAVIOLET CURING

• As with most advances in dentistry, the original use of ultraviolet (UV) light to cause polymer curing
did not originate in the profession, but instead already existed in the printing industry.
• In the late 1970’s, the LD Caulk company introduced the first dental, UV-cured restorative system.
• Problems faced were lack in incremental thickness placement greater than 1 mm, coupled with the
need to expose each increment for 20 to 60 seconds per increment
• Light curing units of that time used a UV-emitting source that, unfortunately had to be continually
powered, even when not in use, causing decrease in bulb output over time.
• Additionally, because of the potential for causing cataract formation in the operator, as well as the
chance of significantly altering the oral microflora wherever the radiation was directed, radiation
limits for dental photopolymerization were restricted to be within that considered as only visible light
(380 nm and 700 nm)

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 VISIBLE LIGHT CURING

• It is the physical interaction (absorption) of photons at a given wavelength that gives rise to
the conversion of visible light into stored energy, later used for creation of free radicals.
• Within the visible spectrum, absorption of photons involves consumption of their energy and
converting that energy into raising an outer shell electron from its regular orbital layer (the
ground state) to a higher orbital layer, where it is not usually present (an excited state)

TYPE 1 PHOTOINITIATORS TYPE 2 PHOTOINITIATERS

Directly break down into one or more React with an intermediary molecule
free radicals to assist in initiating (an amine), which then goes on to
polymerization form free radicals
Eg: Camphoroquinone Eg: Lucirin® TPO

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 QUARTZ TUNGSTEN HALOGEN LAMPS (QTH)

• The bulb in these units consists of a tungsten filament enclosed in a clear, crystalline quartz casing,
filled with a halogen-based gas.
• Must be filtered to remove heat and all wavelengths except those in the violet-blue range (about 400
to 500 nm).
• The intensity of the bulb diminishes with use, so a calibration meter is required to measure the
intensity.
• Power Density: 400-1500mW/cm2
• Curing time for adequately photopolymerizing a 2-mm thick composite increment ranged between 40
and 60 seconds

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 Quartz
• Encasing structure
• Crystalline
• Heat resistant

 Tungsten
• Filament coil
• Flow of electricity

 Halogen gas
• Protects filament
• Re-deposits tungsten to filament
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 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

 Economical.
 Filters used to dissipate  Short curing depth
heat to the oral structures &  Long exposure time
provide restriction of  Short life.
visible light to narrower  Very high heat generation
spectrum of initiators.

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 PLASMA ARC CURING (PAC) LIGHTS

• PAC lamps use a xenon gas that is ionized to produce a plasma.

• It consists of 2 tungsten electrodes separated by small distance in high pressure gas filled
chamber. When a high voltage is applied across the electrodes creating a spark that ionizes
xenon gas to form glowing plasma which produces a tremendous amount of electromagnetic
radiation over a wide spectral range: from infrared to short wavelength UV.
• It’s output may reach 2500 mW/cm2.
• It has broad band of wave lengths from 380-500 n.m. .
• 10 sec PAC is equivalent to 40 sec QTH

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 ARGON LASER LAMPS

• Argon laser lamps have the highest intensity and emit at a single wavelength.
• They work at specific bandwidth of light in the ranges of 454 to 466nm,472 to 497 and 514
nm
• Less infra-red radiation with less heat generation
• Highly coherent with small spot size, in case of large restoration the clinician need multiple
curing cycle.
• It is very expensive

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 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Produces narrow focused non  Risk of other tissues being

divergent monochromatic light of irradiated.
490nm.  Ophthalmic damage of operator
Less power utilized. and patient.
Depth of cure is greater.  Large in size and heavy.
- Narrow beam of coherent light so  Expensive
no loss of power over distance
therefore used for inaccessible areas

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 LIGHT EMITTING DIODE (LED) LAMPS

• Using a solid-state electronic process, these light sources emit radiation only in the blue part of the
visible spectrum, between 440 and 480 nm, and do not require filters.
• The technology underlying use of these light-emitting devices is solid state: requiring low power, no
filament, no optical filter and providing much greater photon-generating efficiency than any
competitive light source.
• In addition, these units can be easily battery powered and the LED sources are claimed to last for
thousands of hours, never needing replacement.
• In a typical circuit, electrons are forced to traverse from one side of a semiconductor material (the
“N” material, having an excess of electrons) to a substrate having an electron deficiency (the “P”
material).
• When electrons travel through this potential energy “gap,“ they emit light, the specific wavelength of
which is determined by the composition of each semiconductor substrate.
• They are available in three generations.
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 TECHNIQUES OF LIGHT CURING

1. Uniform Continuous Cure

2. Step Cure
3. Ramp Cure
4. High Energy Pulse Cure
5. Pulse Delay Cure

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 THE “BLUE LIGHT HAZARD”

• We have known for many years that cumulative exposures to high intensity blue light may cause
ocular damage.
• This Blue Light Hazard to the retina is greatest at 440 nm, which is close to the maximum
emission from dental LCUs.
• Blue light is transmitted through the ocular media and absorbed by the retina.
• While high levels of blue light cause immediate and irreversible retinal burning, chronic
exposure to low levels of blue light is thought to cause accelerated retinal aging and degeneration
and can accelerate age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).
• Blue light filtering glasses (‘orange blue-blockers’) can reduce the transmission of light below
500 nm to less than 1%

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 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

• A good rule of thumb is that the minimum power density output should never drop below
300mW/cm2
• Shifting from a standard 11mm diameter tip to a small 3mm diameter increases the light output
eightfold.
• Ideally, the fiber optic tip should be adjacent to the surface being cured but this will lead to tip
contamination
• Intensity of light is inversely proportional to the distance from the fiber optic tip to the composite
surface. Therefore, the tip should be within 2mm of composite to be effective.
• Light transmitting wedges for interproximal curing & light focusing tips for access into proximal
boxes are available.
• Most light curing techniques require minimum of 20 sec for adequate curing.
• To guarantee adequate curing, it is a common practice to post cure for 20-60 sec. post curing
improves the surface properties slightly.

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 GUIDELINES

• A curing lamp with a wavelength range strongly overlapping the absorbance range of the resin
photoinitiation system must be selected.
• Intensity of light decreases with distance to the log scale; therefore, the lamp tip must be placed
and held at the minimal distance possible throughout the exposure interval (20 seconds or more).
• Curing angle is critical, since maximal intensity is delivered perpendicular (90°) to the resin
surface therefore, the lamp tip must be placed and held as close as possible to 90° throughout the
exposure interval.
• Lamp intensity should be evaluated frequently and adjustments made to ensure sufficient radiant
energy influx (about 16 J/cm2) for adequate curing.
• Training is required to develop the best practice techniques for optimal intraoral curing.

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 CONCLUSION

• Appropriately polymerized composite material will have a positive influence on both the
physical and biological properties of the restoration and aids in promoting clinical success of the
composite restoration.
• Both the quantity and quality of polymerization can be improved with a proper selection of light
curing units and clinical curing techniques.
• Even though newer commercially available light curing units offer us high light intensity,
shortened exposure time and enhanced depth of cure, they all have several disadvantages like
polymerization shrinkage,stress build up etc
• Further modification and improvement of the light curing units may help achieve the best
outcome.
• Thus knowledge about the curing units and techniques is important for the success of a
composite restoration

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