DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PHOTOPOLYMERIZABLE DENTAL SEALANTS

This paper describes the results obtained in the optimization of the c omposition of dental sealants in relation to the nature and proportion s of monomer mixtures and photoinitiating system employed. The quantif ication and variation of certain parameters which determine the qualit y of a dental sealant (such as viscosity and penetrating power, residu al double bonds, solubility and absorption, volume shrinkage and certa in specific mechanical properties) have resulted in the development of new formulations. The composition which has achieved the best results of all the above properties was that corresponding to the monomer mix ture bis-GMA/tri(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) 40/60 wt%, a nd the photoinitiating system camphorquinone (CQ) with co-initiators N ,N,3,5-tetramethyaniline (TMA) or N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMPT) in t he ratio 1 : 1. The final properties and characteristics of the obtain ed formulations are superior to those of commercial dental sealants cu rrently in use.