Radiopacity of a Group of Bulk-fill Composite Restoratives

Objectives: Objectives: This study determined the radiopacity of different bulk-fill composites using digital radiography.
Methods: Methods: Forty-Five disc-shaped specimens 1.3+0.01mm thick were prepared using elastic mold from 9 different composites (Tetric EvoCeram, X-tra fil, Quixx (Dentsply Caulk), BeautiFil - Bulk flowable bulk fil, BeautiFil- bulk flowable, Sure SDR flow, Filtek bulk fill flowable, Quixx Fill and Filtek Supreme Ultra). Specimens were light-cured for 40 sec. Longitudinal tooth sections were prepared from recently extracted molar and premolar using low-speed saw. Specimens were divided into five equal groups. Each group had one specimen from each material and was placed on phosphorous storage plate along with molar, premolar sections and aluminum stepwedge. The sensor was exposed to X-ray at 70kV and 6mA for 0.32sec exposure time with object-sensor distance of 55mm. Three images were obtained for each group. Pixel measurements of the specimens and aluminum stepwedge images were made using ImageJ software. Twenty pixel values were determined per material Mean pixel measurements were converted into aluminum thickness equivalents. Data were statistically-analyzed with ANOVA
Results: Results: ANOVA revealed significant difference in means of pixel values among composite materials. Tetric EvoCeram showed highest mean aluminum equivalent (3.5mmAl/1mm material) followed by X-tra Fil (3mmAl/1mm material), Quixx (Denstply Caulk) (2.8mmAl/1mm material), Quixx Fil (2.8mmAl/1mm material), Sure SDR (flow) (2.3mmAl/1mm material), BeautiFil Bulk Restorative (2.25mmAl/mm material), BeautiFil Bulk Flowable Bulkfill (2.1mmAl/1mm material), Filtek Bulkfill flowable (2mmAl/1mm material) and Filtek Supreme Ultra (1.85mmAl/1mm material). All nine materials had radiopacity values higher than that of enamel (1.7mmAl/1mm material).
Conclusions: Conclusions: All tested composite restorative materials showed radiopacity values higher than that of dentin which met the ISO Standard recommendation