A Four-Year Follow Up on the Output From Valo Curing Lights

Objectives: This study re-evaluated the light output from 9 Valo (Ultradent) curing lights after 4 years of use in a dental university student clinic.
Methods: Nine Valo light emitting diode curing lights were purchased to be used by students in the university dental clinic. Upon receipt the spectral radiant power from each curing light was measured using a 6-inch integrating sphere (Labsphere) attached to a fiberoptic spectroradiometer (Ocean Optics). The same nine curing lights were remeasured four years later using the same integrating sphere test apparatus. In the intervening, period the curing lights had been used in the student clinic with a protective barrier over the emitting tip. The 2013 and 2017 radiant power results were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc test (a=0.05).
Results: None of the Valo curing lights had required maintenance since purchase. In 2013, on the standard setting the radiant power from the nine Valo’s ranged from 650 to 731 mW. In 2017, the radiant power from the same Valo’s was slightly less and ranged from 642 to 724 mW. The mean radiant power from the nine lights was 0.8% less after 4 years of use in the student clinic and was within the measurement error of the testing device. The emission spectra were slightly different between the nine Valo’s and the same difference was observed some 4 years later. Upon examination, all the light tips were clean and free of debris or damage. However, the surface disinfectant used in the university clinic had partially removed the black anodized color from the curing lights. Although there was a significant difference the radiant power among the nine Valo’s, there was no significant difference between the results from 2013 and 2017 (p>0.05).
Conclusions: The light output from the nine Valo curing lights was remarkably similar some four years after the initial evaluation.