Summary
One of the most important stages when it comes to performing direct restorations is the finishing and polishing. The polishing may determine the success and predictability of the restoring treatment. A temperature regular rise produced by this process may permanently damage the dental pulp, hence producing pulp necrosis. A permanent pulp damage of 15% when the temperature was above 5.6 oC, a 60% when 11 oC and a 100% of necrosis with a rise of 16.6 oC above base pulp temperature of 37°C, studies have shown. To measure the thermal generation of the composite resin subject to different polishing methods and also analyze the clinical implication that this has upon the tooth. One hundred and five standardized composite resin specimens were made and divided randomly en 3 groups of 35 specimens each. A different polishing system was applied to each different group being Soflex®, Enhance® y Compo System® the systems applied. While the resin was being put through the polishing the temperatures were measured at 10 seconds intervals during one minute with a digital thermometer. The significant temperature rise of the resin put through polishing damages the dental pulp, since the structure is not able to withstand such high temperatures.
KEY WORDS: composite resin, polishing, finishing, temperature.
How to cite this article
LAVÍN, N. S. & TORO, U. G. In vitro quantification of thermal generation in composite subjected to three polishing systems in vitro. Int. J. Odontostomat., 6(3):267-273, 2012.
