With 1000s of curing lights to choose from these days, especially those available online, there are some important things to consider to ensure you’re maximizing your investment.
A March 2022 report by Dr. Richard Price et. al. as published in Dental Economics, and a 2019 IADR abstract published by our scientists here at Bluelight details the the performance of 18 different budget lights. The findings from both publications are so important, we summarized it all here.
Bottom line? Budget lights purchased online are not worth the risk! Their output is much lower and less stable than those purchased from a major manufacturer.
The key insights to support this conclusion include:
Budget lights have much smaller tips. While the irradiance level may still be adequate, a smaller tip will not cover the full restoration with an even amount of light.
Similarly, these studies showed that the irradiance of budget lights is not uniformly distributed across the light tip.
The shape/angle of the tip for some of the budget lights tested made it nearly impossible to fully access the surface of a posterior restoration.
The output of some budget lights decreases with battery use.
The manufacturer’s stated irradiance of budget lights is very unreliable.
Budget lights have a much less significant working life compared to lights from major manufacturers.
As a result of these drawbacks, clinicians would need to cure the composite multiple times from various locations to ensure accurate coverage of a restoration. This would not only require more time per patient, but would also increase the risks associated with over/under curing the filling i.e. de-bonding, sensitivity, discoloration.
The authors also noted issues such as inadequate battery charging and power button functionality that make budget lights less desirable.
Finally, since some budget lights are not FDA approved (as a medical device) in the US and do not include serial numbers or contact info for the manufacturer, it can be impossible to conduct any sort of follow-up should a problem arise.
If you’re using a budget light or are considering buying one, it’s well worth taking the time to read both the above mentioned reports in full so you can better understand the risks involved. In our opinion, it’s certainly not worth the cost savings!
For more light-curing insights be sure to check out lots of their other blog posts here.
This article was first published on the Bluelights blog (05/26/22)
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