The LED (Light Emiting Diodes) light curing units which photocure the composite resins, deliver a high intensity blue light at a wavelength of 420 to 500nm and those with a broader spectrum also deliver wavelengths between 380 and 420nm, which correspond to the ultraviolet light (UV). This is the reason why the dentists, the dental team and the patients are exposed daily to these harmful radiations. There is a great variety of protective shields or barriers made of resin or polycarbonate in different colors, covered with films against scratches and reflections, aiming to block the entrance of blue and ultraviolet light to the eye.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate if the different shields found in the Dental School Clinics, and those acquired by the students, effectively blocked the blue light of the LED curing units they use. For the study, composite resin was placed in 2mm deep Class I preparations made in the occlusal surfaces of artificial molars. Different types of barriers or filters were tested by polymerizing the resin through them to confirm their effectiveness, resulting that the orange colored filters were able to block the transmission of light, by preventing the resin from polymerizing.
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