Characterization of resin composites polymerized with plasma arc curing units.

OBJECTIVES: Newly developed curing units (plasma arc curing units) operate at relatively high intensity and are claimed to result in optimum properties of resin composites in a short cure time. This study was conducted to determine a number of characteristics of resin composites polymerized by plasma arc curing units.
METHODS: The investigated polymerization characteristics were quantity of remaining double bonds, depth of polymerization, flexural strength and modulus, and wall-to-wall polymerization contraction. The investigated plasma arc curing units were Apollo 95E and 1000 PAC. The conventional curing unit XL 3000 was used as baseline.
RESULTS: Irradiation with Apollo 95E resulted in a higher quantity of remaining double bonds than did XL 3000, whereas the results obtained with 1000 PAC depended on the resin composite. The depth of cure with the plasma arc units was equal to or less than that obtained with the conventional unit, depending on the resin composite. The flexural strength did not depend on the curing unit. The flexural modulus resulting from curing with Apollo 95E was less than that resulting from curing with XL 3000 in 3 out of 4 comparisons. The wall-to-wall polymerization contraction was equal to or less with the plasma arc units than with the conventional unit. SIGNIFICANCE: Plasma arc curing units make it possible to polymerize resin composite in much shorter times than conventional curing units. However, the polymerization characteristics associated with the units may be less than optimal.