Abstract

SOUZA, Niélli Caetano de; CLAVIJO, Victor Grover Rene; AMPUERO, Brenda López  and  SUSIN, Alexandre Henrique. Influencia de la fotopolimerización gradual en el estrés de contracción en restauraciones de resina compuesta. Acta odontol. venez [online]. 2008, vol.46, n.3, pp.393-396. ISSN 0001-6365.

The composite resins are still the most used restorative option when the esthetic aspect is primordial. However, even their constant evolution they present some inconvenients like: wear, polymerization contraction and marginal leakage. Today, new concepts related to light curing have developed a better marginal adaptation associated to the permanency of their mechanical properties. The gradual polymerization, which means, initial reduction at the light intensity, followed by the photoactivation with more intensity has demonstrated to be an alternative with good clinical results. This paper proposes to discuss the principal variables that could interfere at the light curing process, with the aim to alert the dentists about the necessity of a constant clinical control, not just by the observation of the incremental technique, but principally, through monitoring the quantity of light energy used at the polymerization process. In this context, are presented, by a literature revision, the principal factors related to the polymerization contraction and the available light curing techniques to minimize their effects.

Keywords : Light intensity; polymerization contraction; marginal adaptation.