Effect of initiator concentration, exposure time and particle size of the filler upon the mechanical properties of a light-curing radiopaque dental composite.

Concentration of camphorquinone initiator, exposure time of the light source and particle size of a radiopaque glass filler have been varied for an indigenously developed light-curing dental composite and the changes in the microhardness, compressive strength and diametral tensile strength studied. Higher initiator concentration and exposure times are found to improve the microhardness values while a concentration above 0.25% does not signify any drastic improvement in compressive and diametral strength. Changes in properties are found to be statistically significant at low initiator concentrations. A filler particle size around 1 microm is found to give better properties compared with larger sizes.