Development of bulk fill composites containing elastomeric urethane monomers in different concentrations

• Grant number: 23/06543-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Materials
• Principal Investigator: Mário Alexandre Coelho Sinhoreti
• Grantee: Mário Alexandre Coelho Sinhoreti
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba (FOP). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of the study will be to develop bulk-fill resin composites containing different elastomeric urethane monomers (Exothane 8, 9, 10, 24, 26, 32, 108, and 126) in different concentrations (10, 20, 30, and 40%). In part 1, 36 resin matrices will be blended from the combination of type (UDMA, Exothane 8, 9, 10 24, 26, 32, 108, and 126) and concentration (10, 20, 30, and 40%) of monomers. The degree of conversion, polymerization kinetics, refractive index, flexural strength, flexural modulus, polymerization shrinkage stress, Knoop microhardness, microhardness reduction after immersion in ethanol, crack formation, and sorption and solubility of these resin matrices will be evaluated. From the results of part 1, the five matrices with the most significant potential to be used in bulk-fill composites will be selected using artificial intelligence programming (Keras-Tensor Flow). Thus, in part 2, 5 bulk-fill resin composites will be formulated and compared with a commercial bulk-fill resin composite, verifying the degree of conversion, polymerization kinetics, refractive index, strength and flexural modulus, polymerization contraction stress, Knoop microhardness, reduction microhardness after immersion in ethanol, crack formation, sorption and solubility, and color change (AC) after accelerated artificial aging. Parts 1 and 2's results will be analyzed for their normality and homogeneity of variances. A non-parametric statistical analysis will be performed if the data does not show normal distribution. If these parameters are confirmed, the data referring to all evaluated properties will be submitted to ANOVA, and the mean values will be compared by Tukey's test, considering a significance level of 5%. (AU)