Despite the ‘antiamalgam’ campaigns and increasing demand for suitable tooth colored adhesive materials, dental amalgam still remains in extensive use internationally. This overview has highlighted the current intense development of materials for bonding dental amalgam restorations, that has provided an opportunity for a revolution of preparation design. The promise for reliable bounding of dental amalgam restorations enables more conservative approach to restoration of initial carious lesions as well as complex restorations with cuspal reinforcement.

This study was to investigate the rate of post-exposure polymerization status of two recently introduced visible-light cured composite resins and a comparatively evaluate the effects of initial polymerization on the final polymerization of same composite resins. The extent of polymerization as indicated by hardness values was influenced by the exposure time to the photoactivating radiation and by the post-exposure time. Besides other factors, the testing time of the composite sample seems very critical when studying the physical properties (at least surface hardness) of visible-light cured composites.