Postoperative tooth sensitivity Soft Start Vs Constant Curing Modes

Objectives: Demand for esthetics has lead to the wide usage of dental composite as filling material. One of the major disadvantages associated with using composites is polymerization shrinkage, stresses are generated at the margins, if these stresses exceed the bond strength microleakage may occur at the tooth restoration interface which causes ingress of cariogenic bacteria, post operative sensitivity and secondary caries. LED offers several curing modes of which constant curing, ramped cure soft start curing are more widely used. It is claimed that soft start polymerization mode produces less polymerization shrinkage consequently less post operative sensitivity Objective: To compare the post operative sensitivity in class V composite restorations using ramped and constant LED curing modes.

Methods: Using appropriate burr cavity was prepped then filled with composite Z 100(3M-ESPE) using incremental technique 2mm each increments were cured either with ramped or constant curing depending on if it was a test group or control group.All patients were evaluated at day two for postoperative sensitivity. Results: A total of 124 restorations which were placed only three restorations presented with post operative sensitivity one in mild one in moderate one in severe category but there was no relation between sensitivity and tooth type. There was no statistically significant difference in post-operative sensitivity in either of the treatment modality (constant or ramped curing). Conclusion: We conclude that restorations placed with ramped curing technique did not show significant changes in post-op sensitivity when compared to the constant curing technique.