Holographic measurement of a tooth model and dental composite contraction

Abstract

We have developed a real-time holographic technique to observe deformation induced by dental composite contraction. The standard split beam method was used, in conjunction with in situ holographic plate processing. Experiments were performed on a mechanical model of a human tooth with cavity. A silicone mold was used to manufacture a number of identical casts, using photoactivated composite. A LED lamp was used to induce photo-polymerization reaction in a composite. We have shown that the proposed method is ideal to analyze various polymerization strategies, with the purpose of recommending one which minimizes the polymerization contraction.