Effect of fiber incorporation on the contraction stress of composite materials.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the effects of fiber incorporation on the contraction stress (CS), time to gelation (TG), and temperature rise (TR) features of two experimental resin-based composites (RBCs) in comparison to those of bulk-fill RBCs and conventional RBCs in simulated, clinically relevant cavities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CS over 300 s, TG and TR were assessed by a stress-strain analyzer (SSA T80) in two cavity configurations (2 × 4 × 4 mm3/4 × 4 × 4 mm3/configuration value [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) for two experimental RBCs, eight bulk-fill RBCs (EverX Posterior, Filtek Bulk Fill, SDR, SonicFill, Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill, Venus Bulk Fill, X-tra base, and X-tra Fill) and one RBC (Filtek Supreme XTE) by light curing (1200 mW/cm2) (n = 10). The experimental materials used were based on EverX Posterior with modifications made to the fiber and filler content. Statistical analyses were performed via ANOVA; multiple pair-wise comparisons were performed via Tukey's test, and homogeneous subsets were identified ("multcomp" package, R). RESULTS: CS values ranged from 1.00 to 4.07 MPa (2 × 4 × 4 mm3) and from 0.97 to 2.49 MPa (4 × 4 × 4 mm3); TG values ranged from 1.31 to 4.05 s (2 × 4 × 4 mm3) and from 1.39 to 3.84 s (4 × 4 × 4 mm3). SDR values showed lowest stress values in both cavity configurations. The experimental composite with fibers presented significantly higher stress values than did the experimental composite without fibers. CONCLUSION: Bulk-fill RBCs showed lower levels of stress than did conventional RBCs. The incorporation of fibers had no positive impact on the CS and TG. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Appropriate material selection may be essential to clinical success because certain RBCs exhibit higher CS, TG, and TR values.