Physicomechanical and thermal analysis of bulk-fill and conventional composites.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of conversion (DC) and the thermal stability of bulk-fill and conventional composite resins. Eleven composite resin samples were prepared to evaluate the DC, Vickers microhardness (VMH), mass and residue/particle loss, glass transition temperature (Tg), enthalpy, and linear coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), microdurometer analyses, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and dilatometry (DIL). The data were subjected to statistical analysis, with a significance level of 95%. DC and VMH were not influenced by the polymerized side of the sample, and statistical differences were recorded only among the materials. Decomposition temperature, melting, and mass and residue loss were dependent on the material and on the evaluation condition (polymerized and non-polymerized). Tg values were similar between the composites, without statistically significant difference, and CTE ranged from 10.5 to 37.1 (10-6/°C), with no statistical difference between the materials. There was a moderate negative correlation between CTE and the % of load particles, by weight. Most resins had a DC above that which is reported in the literature. TGA, Tg, and CTE analyses showed the thermal behavior of the evaluated composites, providing data for future research, assisting with the choice of material for direct or semidirect restorations, and helping choose the appropriate temperature for increasing the DC of such materials.

Physicomechanical characterization and biological evaluation of bulk-fill composite resin.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect, degree of conversion (% DC), Vickers hardness (VH), and surface morphology of composite resins. Eleven resins, nine bulk-fill resins, and two conventional resins were evaluated. Each material was sampled to evaluate DC (using FTIR), VH, cytotoxicity (using MTT and Neutral Red - NR test), surface morphology (using SEM and AFM), and organic filler (using EDS). All statistical tests were performed with SPSS and the level of significance was set at 0.05. MTT revealed that the materials presented low or no cytotoxic potential in relation to the control. Opus was the resin with the lowest cell viability at a 1:2 concentration at 72 h (32%) and at 7 days (43%), but that significantly increased when the NR test was applied at a 1:2 concentration after 7 days. Thickness and surface subjected to polymerization had no influence on DC, and differences were observed only between the materials. In the microhardness test, statistical differences were observed between the evaluated thicknesses. The bulk-fill resins analyzed in this study exhibited low and/or no cytotoxicity to L929 cells, except for Opus, which showed moderate cytotoxicity according to the MTT assay. When the NR test was used, results were not satisfactory for all composites, indicating the need for different methodologies to evaluate the properties of these materials. The assessed resins demonstrated acceptable physicomechanical properties.

Physicomechanical characterization and biological evaluation of bulk-fill composite resin

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect, degree of conversion (% DC), Vickers hardness (VH), and surface morphology of composite resins. Eleven resins, nine bulk-fill resins, and two conventional resins were evaluated. Each material was sampled to evaluate DC (using FTIR), VH, cytotoxicity (using MTT and Neutral Red - NR test), surface morphology (using SEM and AFM), and organic filler (using EDS). All statistical tests were performed with SPSS and the level of significance was set at 0.05. MTT revealed that the materials presented low or no cytotoxic potential in relation to the control. Opus was the resin with the lowest cell viability at a 1:2 concentration at 72 h (32%) and at 7 days (43%), but that significantly increased when the NR test was applied at a 1:2 concentration after 7 days. Thickness and surface subjected to polymerization had no influence on DC, and differences were observed only between the materials. In the microhardness test, statistical differences were observed between the evaluated thicknesses. The bulk-fill resins analyzed in this study exhibited low and/or no cytotoxicity to L929 cells, except for Opus, which showed moderate cytotoxicity according to the MTT assay. When the NR test was used, results were not satisfactory for all composites, indicating the need for different methodologies to evaluate the properties of these materials. The assessed resins demonstrated acceptable physicomechanical properties.