How to select a curing light that fits your practice
Durable restoration relies on the right kind of curing light to be effective and long-lasting. But deciding what type of curing light to choose can be demanding, especially when you can only rely on the manufacturer’s claims. If you have a restorative practice, it’s an essential product because an effective light will achieve success, while an inefficient one will make efforts tedious and less consistent. Below, we’ll give you a basic outline of the basics and what experts, such as the Dental Advisor, say about choosing curing lights.
Types of Curing Lights
- LED Lights – L.E.D., or Light Emitting Diode, restricts the current flow of light into one direct through its connection to a circuit. These curing lights are lightweight, small, have a long battery light, and by today’s standards, give off the most consistent curing by their design. L.E.D. can refer to either blue light or multi-wave light of both blue and violet. The blue light activates the photoinitiator, while the multi-wave activates both the photoinitiator and alternative initiator. Some may lack tip selections, lack timers, and may have a harder time curing certain composites. Most new-style L.E.D. curing lights have a better time with beam divergence, and any tips that fan out the light in a cone shape can divert the curing process and divert the energy needed to cure the composite.
- Halogen – While considered to be an outdated product by industry standards, halogen lights have a reliable long track record for creating consistent cures. Halogen curing lights have a wider selection of curing materials they can work with due to their wide bandwidth. However, its design causes the need for cooling fans and a cord but does benefit from lower prices.
- Plasma Arc – A plasma arc curing light is an aluminum oxide vessel containing high-energy xenon gas under 150 psi. These curing lights produce focused beams and are typically designed within large base units and small tips for the desired effect. However, it cannot cure all materials and can be expensive.
- Argon Laser – Argon lights generate light by applying energy to the argon gas atoms. The electrons are raised higher in numbers to an unstable level and then release light through the argon gas. As some of the most expensive forms of curing lights, these create fast curing times and require a large unit to encompass the laser. However, it may not cure all materials and require small tips and cords to function.
Our Recommendations for Curing Lights
Curing lights should be able to have access to both adult and pediatric patients, getting into the right angles without interfering with the composite. It should have enough intensity to ensure a good cure, an intensity between 750 to 2000 milliwatts per square centimeter. Any curing light that generates watts higher than 2,000 can generate excessive heat and cause a waste of energy, which will not cure the composite any faster.
While higher wattages can appear attractive, they don’t always cure the composite faster. As a dentist, you should follow the suggested curing times from the composite manufacturer, not the light manufacturer.
Find a curing light that gives off a homogeneous, uniform light beam between 3 to 10 mm, and curing lights that produce hot spots should be avoided at all costs due to their lack of consistency with the composite. Keep things simple, and be aware of the differences between certain lighting options in their power, modes, and light source.
1. Triad 2000 by Dentsply Sirona
The Triad 2000 uses a halogen light source to activate both Triad and Radica curing materials. As a larger unit, it can incorporate a rotating and lift platform with specific controls to accommodate curing with or without using a cast. The Triad 2000 is designed with easy fabrication in mind for acrylic devices used in removable denture procedures. It can fabricate custom trays; denture relines, and curing of other restorative prosthetics, such as nightguards, implant placements, impression trays, and orthodontic devices. Developed by Dentsply Sirona, the Triad 2000 can fit any fabrication needs; the Triad 2000 can help repair appliances and produce more advanced curing cycles.
Safco Dental Price: $1,145.95
2. Valo Cordless by Ultradent
Dentaltix Rating: Five stars out of 2 Reviews
The Valo Cordless is a multi-wave L.E.D. curing light with halogen light’s power and intensity. It produces high-intensity light in between 385 and 515 nm, making it capable of curing all light cure materials, including resin cement and porcelain. Its ability to provide heat dissipation through a unibody construction gives it a unique advantage among other high-intensity light competitors. Its ergonomic design makes it durable under constant use and comforts the patient when accessing all curing sites. The Valo Cordless operates through two rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and comes with three curing modes to give flexibility and convenience.
Dentaltix Price: € 1023,90
3. Bluephase Style by Ivoclar Vivadent
Awards: Editor’s Choice by The Dental Advisor, Five stars at 96% clinical rating
The Bluephase Style offers a broad wavelength spectrum of 385 to 515 nm with plenty of power and light emission, making it one of the market’s most highly recommended cure lights. It produces a light intensity in between 1000 mW/cm2 and 1200 mW/cm2 with a 10 mm light guide to cure deep and quick. Its long battery life and short light probe allows it to access all tooth surface areas and has curing times of 10, 15, and 30 seconds. Its ergonomic design makes it extremely comfortable in any dentist’s hand.
Safco Price: $1,508.95
4. Elipar DeepCure-S by 3M ESPE
The Elipar DeepCure-S contains optimized optics that operate at a 1,470 mW/cm2 Intensity spread evenly throughout a 10mm tip diameter, allowing it to able to access all tooth surfaces and provide a reliable cure. By giving an even light distribution through an updated light guide geometry, its light is distributed for uniformity and intensity. The angle of the tip gives both the dentist and patient comfortable curing for those with limited mouth-opening capabilities. Its simple two-button operation, one mode operation give it fast treatment capabilities, and its glass-ceramic coating makes it easy to clean.
Safco Dental Price: $1,665.95
5. S.P.E.C 3 by Coltene
The S.P.E.C. 3 LED curing light operates at a standard mode of 1600 mW/cm2 and has an average intensity ode of 2mm cures in 5 seconds, giving rapid and deep polymerization. Its ergonomic, lightweight design helps give maximum performance without discomfort and features three modes of operation, a wavelength range between 430-490 nm, and an aluminum body for easy cleaning and disinfection. Its ability to work with various light cure materials gives it a unique advantage over its competitors. Its lithium-ion batteries can perform over 300 ten-second cures between charges, making it a long-lasting light cure that can boost power when needed.
Safco Dental Price: $1,278.20
Among these choices, we also recommend products such as the Radii Plus, Fusion S7, and Cybird XD.
