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Review
. 2021 Jun 30;13(13):2165.
doi: 10.3390/polym13132165.

High-Power LED Units Currently Available for Dental Resin-Based Materials-A Review

Rita Almeida  1 , Patricia Manarte-Monteiro  2 , Joana Domingues  2 , Carlos Falcão  2   3 , Mariano Herrero-Climent  3 , Blanca Ríos-Carrasco  4 , Bernardo Ferreira Lemos  2
Affiliations
Review

High-Power LED Units Currently Available for Dental Resin-Based Materials-A Review

Rita Almeida et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

The pursuit of less time-consuming procedures led to the development of high-power light-curing-units (LCU) to light-cure dental-resin-based-materials. This review aims to describe high-power light-emitting-diode (LED)-LCUs, by a bibliometric systematization of in vitro and in vivo studies. The research-question, by PICO model, aimed to assess the current knowledge on dentistry-based high-power LED-LCUs by analyzing to what extent their use can promote adverse events on materials and patients' oral condition when compared to low-power LED-LCUs, on daily dental practice. PubMed and B-on database search focused on high-power (≥2000 mW/cm2) LED-LCUs outputs. Studies assessing performance of high-power LED-LCUs for light-curing dental-resin-based-materials were included. From 1822 screened articles, 21 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Thirty-two marketed units with high levels of radiant emittance (≥2000 mW/cm2 up to 6000 mW/cm2) were identified. Most output values vary on 2000-3000 mW/cm2. The highest output found was 6000 mW/cm2, in FlashMax™P3. Reports suggest that light-curing protocols with lower emittance irradiance and longer exposure outperforms all other combination, however in some clinical procedures high-power LED-LCUs are advocated when compared to low-power LED-LCUs. Moreover, long time exposures and over-curing can be dangerous to the biological vital pulp, and other oral tissues. Evidence showing that high-power LCUs are the best clinical option is still very scarce.

Keywords: LED curing-lights; adverse events; composite resins; dental curing units; dental materials.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Search flowchart according to PRISMA illustrating study inclusion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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