Clinical and Experimental Evaluation of the Effectiveness of "Soft-Start" Polymerization in Dental Composite Restoration

The clinical and experimental efficiency of the soft-start polymerization technique in composite restorations was studied. In this study, 57 patients between 30 and 44 years of age with secondary caries had 158 restorations done using the photo-composite material Filtek Z250. The restorations performed were distinguished into two groups, the basis of the photo-polymerization method of employed (conventional polymerization technique and "soft-start" polymerization technique). The objects of the study also included the specimens of 18 extracted teeth. The analysis of the data indicates that employing the "soft-start" polymerization technique provides better integration of the composite material to the hard tissues of the tooth. This conclusion was best demonstrated in cases where the dentin was a connecting link in the chain "substrate-hybrid layer-composite". (C) 2012 International Medical Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved.