Measurement of the rate of wear of dental composite resins by a 90Sr beta particle transmission gauge

The wear rate of restorative dental composite resins is an important parameter in the assessment of their in vivo performance. The two more widely used methods of quantifying wear are measuring the dimensional change and measuring the change in the mass of the specimen. The former method is complicated by uneven wear of specimens and presents difficulties with samples of irregular shape, and the latter method involves measurements of changes in mass as small as tens of micrograms with specimens of sizes similar to those encountered clinically. A /sup 90/Sr beta particle transmission gauge has been designed and constructed to enable the wear rate of small specimens of dental composite resins to be measured. The /sup 90/Sr beta particle transmission gauge enables indirect measurements of changes in mass to be made and overcomes some of the difficulties inherent in the direct measurement of mass and length. Applications of the /sup 90/Sr beta particle transmission gauge to the measurement of wear rates are given for restorative dental resins having a range of inorganic filler contents and types. The results show that the /sup 90/Sr beta particle transmission gauge is capable of measuring the rate of wear to a degree of precisionmore » similar to that of micrometer-derived measurements.« less