The effects of lubrication on the temperature rise and surface finish of amalgam and composite resin

Abstract 

It was thought that when finishing and polishing direct filling materials lubrication would affect the surface roughness and temperature rise in samples of amalgam and composite.

Object

Previous work by the authors has shown that there is an optimum load, speed and time that produced the smoothest surface when finishing amalgam and composite resin using each of four grades of a disc system. This work was undertaken to examine the effects on temperature rise in samples of amalgam and composite resin of finishing dry compared to finishing with different lubricants. The experiments all used these optimum loads, speeds and times. It also compares the surface finish produced using different lubricants.

Materials and methods

A high copper amalgam and a hybrid composite resin were finished using the four grades of abrasive discs. Samples produced were 25mm long by 6mm wide by 2mm deep. A thermocouple was inserted 1mm into the base of the samples. The thermocouple was connected via an electronic thermometer to a computer that permitted the display and recording of temperature against time. After roughening, the samples were finished and polished in a specially constructed jig that mimicked oral finishing. The pre-determined optimum loads, speeds and times were used sequentially for each of the four grades of disc. Five samples were tested for each method of finishing. Firstly, run dry, then in turn lubricated with water, walnut oil and petroleum jelly. After the use of each abrasive disc the surface roughness was measured. One of the five samples was selected at random and prepared for examination in the scanning electron microscope. All results were subjected to non-parametric statistically analyses.

Results

With both materials the temperature rise was greatest when run dry, followed by petroleum jelly, walnut oil and the least was when lubricated with water.

With these two materials the surface roughness correlates negatively with the temperature rise. The smoothest surface being achieved when finished dry.

Conclusions

To obtain the smoothest surface finish amalgam and composite should be finished dry but further work is needed to assess the effect of the temperature rise found in the materials on the pulp.

Keywords: Amalgam, Composite resin, Polishing, Surface roughness, Lubrication, Temperature