The Essential Guide to Dental Curing Lights

As a dentist, you want to help your patients keep their teeth by receiving high-quality cleanings and restoration work. Dental curing lights ensure the longevity of restorative work.

These lights help harden dental materials, including fillings, crowns, and bridges, so they stay in place. An effective dental curing light increases dental restorations’ longevity, strength, and aesthetics.

However, without an effective dental curing light, your patients can experience fractures, discoloration, and premature wear. Now is the time to explore the types of curing lights. We will also discuss their key features, safety, and maintenance. Finally, we will look at the future of this dental tool.

Types of Dental Curing Lights: Choosing the Right Technology for Your Practice

When you run a dental practice, you can choose dental curing lights. You need to select the right fit for your dental group. Also, make sure the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it.

It might be a matter of preference or the demands of your dental procedures. Here’s a look at the most common:

Halogen Curing Lights

Halogen curing lights were once an industry standard. However, manufacturers phased out this curing light over the years as the technology became outdated.

As other lighting options became available, dentists switched to better choices. Halogen curing lights use a process called photopolymerization.

They can get too hot too quickly, harming your patient’s soft tissue. To protect it, a cooling source is needed.

The heat exchange is the largest challenge of this type of dental curing light. It also has energy inefficiency issues, which can lead to increased utility bills.

LED Curing Lights

LED curing lights quickly proved superior to halogen lights. They offer better energy efficiency and can provide longevity that halogen-curing lights cannot.

This type of curing light also helps the material in question dry more quickly. Faster drying ensures that a good position is easier and that the patient doesn’t have to spend as much time in your office.

Another benefit for your patients is that an LED curing light causes little discomfort. When you opt for this type of light, you enjoy benefits for both your practice and your patients.

Plasma Arc Curing Lights

A plasma arc is created by a high-voltage electrical discharge passing through plasma. This creates both UV-A and UV-B light waves.

A chemical reaction causes restorative dental material to dry. However, these curing lights are costly and require specialized, expensive maintenance.

People recognize them for their inconsistent light distribution. This dental curing light provides intense heat that users need to handle carefully. The machine itself is large and cumbersome for use in small spaces.

Lasers

Lasers are used for curing in short bursts. If you’re not careful, the laser heats quickly and can cause damage to the restoration work or gums.

To cure properly, hold the laser close to the dental material. Keep it at a straight angle.

Splitting the curing work into small sections to avoid excessive heat build-up is a good idea. The dentist, assistant, and patient must all wear eye protection to prevent damage. Laser curing lights often require a significant initial investment, making them less desirable for small dental practices.

Key Features and Considerations

The types of curing lights offer different features and things to consider. Before you invest in one, think about your dental practice’s needs. Consider which features will give you the most benefits. You can look at these key features and considerations:

Light Intensity and Wavelength

Light intensity, measured in mW/cm², makes a significant difference in dental curing lights and plays an essential role in curing restorative work.

You need light intensity that penetrates deep enough to cure the material completely. You need high light intensity to dry the restoration material quickly, but you need to weigh that against the heat produced by the light.

The photoinitiators can only become active with light at a certain wavelength. If you don’t pick the right photoinitiators and light wavelength, the curing will not happen, which can cause the dental work to fail.

Curing Time and Depth

Your patients may not enjoy visiting your office, but you want to keep their time there short—the type of dental curing light you have and the light intensity directly affect the curing time.

Another factor in the curing time is the depth of the material. Are you trying to dry an area a millimeter deep or three millimeters deep?

All dental curing lights affect curing time. They determine how long it takes to cure a certain depth. You need to know which type works best for your most common tasks.

Battery Life and Ergonomics

If you use a cordless curing light, you should consider the battery life. You can set up rules to ensure the curing light is always on the charging unit when not in use, but accidents can still happen.

You should buy a cordless light with a long battery life. When not in use, keep it on the charging station. Ergonomics can help you set up tools. This will remind your staff to replace the light on the charger.

You should also consider the size of the dental curing light and where you have room to keep it. Another factor to consider is how long the charging base takes to charge the battery fully.

Additional Features

When you’re selecting a curing light, the additional features can provide value for your dental office. The most common features include multiple curing modes, radiometers, and light guide tips.

The curing times and needs of a small cavity are different of those of a bridge. Multiple curing modes make it easier to navigate these needs.

A radiometer is a popular feature for measuring the intensity of light. It can provide information that ensures the dental material is curing. Light guide tips make getting the light where you need it easier.

Construction and Warranty

Your new dental curing light must be durable. This means the construction must be top-notch and utilize the best available materials.

You should compare your top choices and pay close attention to their construction. A warranty protects you from a design flaw or a fluke if your unit goes wrong before it should.

You want the longest and most comprehensive warranty that you can get. Pay close attention to what the warranty covers to ensure that you cover most, if not all, of any needed repairs.

Safety Precautions

Safety is always first at your dental practice. When using dental curing lights, UV-A, UV-B, and blue lights can harm the eyesight of anyone nearby. You need eye protection to prevent this. Along with protective eyewear, you can also use shields to add a layer of protection for your patients.

Another safety consideration for your patients is the heat emitted by the dental curing lights. Ensure everyone in your practice who uses the lights is well-trained. They should know the possible dangers from the heat.

Maintenance and Care for Dental Curing Lights

You want longevity out of all the tools and instruments in your dental clinic. This means providing the appropriate maintenance and care for your dental curing lights. Here are a few things to consider:

Cleaning

You should clean your dental curing light often. This keeps it working well and helps you spot any nicks, scratches, or cracks. You should clean the tool after every use, following these steps:

• Wipe the entire instrument down using a disinfectant
• Sterilize it
• Place the cleaned and sterilized light into a new barrier sleeve

You want to use a new barrier sleeve after each cleaning. By using a new barrier sleeve, you can avoid cross-contamination. The sleeve keeps your curing light safe from pathogens and contagions until you need it again.

Inspection

Part of longevity is noticing and fixing small problems before they become bigger headaches. Inspecting your curing lights should be a regular item on your to-do list.

You’re looking for damage to the instrument. If there is damage, and you don’t make repairs, it can cause problems with the curing or increase the heat exchange.

You need a good dental curing light that works well. This way, your patients won’t have problems. Regular checks can help too.

Battery Care

You want your curing light to run when you need it, which means the battery needs to be in tip-top shape. Battery care can differ slightly for each light depending on the type and brand. You must carefully read the instruction manual to determine the necessary steps for battery care for your light. Ensure you read the instructions several times and then follow each step according to the manual.

The Future of Dental Curing Lights

In the modern world, it seems like everything comes out with a new design or gets an update every few months. This is true of dental equipment too. Look at the future of dental curing lights, such as:

Closed-Loop Technology

With closed-loop technology, you gain consistency in results. Closed-loop technology constantly checks light intensity. It can adjust the intensity to give you the best results. It takes much of the guesswork out of the process for you and your staff.

Your dental curing lights always provide the right light intensity, helping to cure the dental material quickly and correctly. A light with closed-loop technology can be used from a distance and adjusts to the angle you use.

Smart Features

As technology becomes more sophisticated, smart features are making your job easier. A popular smart feature checks the light intensity from your curing light. It can be adjusted as needed. A function for monitoring the light wavelength also exists, so you know that the proper curing is taking place.

Many new curing lights will have a built-in timer. This is easier than setting a time on your watch or simply watching the clock, and it will result in better outcomes.

Improved Light Guide Designs

Curing dental work relies on directing the light to the right areas. The light guide will be one of the most exciting design improvements to dental curing lights. The light guides help you focus on dental work. They also make sure it dries faster and better.

Choosing the Right Curing Light for Your Practice

You want the right curing light for your dental office, and you’re spoiled for choice. The main types of curing lights are halogen, laser, LED, and plasma arc.

LED is the most popular dental curing light. It has many benefits, including faster curing and energy efficiency.

It also lasts longer for the dentist. Patients enjoy more comfort and spend less time in the dental chair.

Once you have chosen dental curing light, care and maintenance are essential for the longevity of your tool. Inspect your curing light regularly and clean it after each use. You also want to ensure that you’re maintaining the battery correctly.

Shinoda Dental is a reputable dealer of dental curing lights. Our team can help you make the best decision for your needs.