Impact of portable radiometers on irradiance measurements of LED photocuring units.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of different models of commercially available portable dental radiometers on the measurement of light irradiance emitted by light-emitting diode (LED) photocuring units. Materials and Methods: Eight LED photocuring units, all emitting light in a single-wavelength spectrum, were tested. Light irradiance (mW/cm2) was measured using six portable dental radiometers: four digital models (D1–D4) and two analog models (A1, A2). Digital model D1 was used as the reference (control). All measurements were conducted under standardized conditions, and each LED–radiometer combination was tested in triplicate. Data were analyzed using Sigma Plot 12.0 (Palo Alto, CA, USA) to verify the assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variances. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the effect of the radiometer model on irradiance values, followed by Tukey’s post hoc test for multiple comparisons. The significance level was set at α < 0.05. Results: No statistically significant difference in irradiance was found between D1 (control) and D2. However, significantly lower values were recorded with A2, while D3, D4, and A1 produced significantly higher irradiance values compared to the control (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Irradiance measurements can vary significantly depending on the radiometer model used. Clinicians should be aware of this variability and are encouraged to regularly check the irradiance of the light-curing units used in daily practice, ensure their proper maintenance, and implement periodic monitoring to maintain effective clinical performance.