Influence of light-curing unit on the network structure and mechanical properties of model resin cements containing diphenyliodonium compared with a commercial reference.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of dyphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate (DPI) on crosslink density (CLD), flexural strength (FS), and flexural modulus (FM) of a light-cured experimental resin cement compared with a commercial dual-cured cement.

Materials and methods: Bis-GMA combined with TEGDMA (50-50%) was used as resin matrix. Silanated barium-aluminum-silica glass was used as inorganic filler. Camphorquinone (CQ) - 1 mol%, 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) - 2 mol%, and two concentrations of DPI (0 or 0.5 mol%) were used as the photoinitiator system. Two light-curing units (LCUs) were used (a single-peak (Radii-Cal) and a polywave (Bluephase)). The CLD was indirectly assessed in a softening test by Knoop hardness indentation; FS and FM were measured by means of a three-point bending test.

Results: DPI positively influenced Knoop hardness when compared with experimental resin without DPI. The flexural strength of experimental cements was lower than that found with Variolink II. The crosslinking density (obtained by reduction of Knoop hardness) of cement with 0.5% DPI was similar to that of dual - cured Variolink II.

Conclusions: DPI showed an improvement in some of the properties tested but was inferior to the commercial dual-cured resin cement. The LCUs had no influence on the flexural strength of the resin cements.