Visible-Light Sensitive Reworkable Resins for Dental Application

Abstract

A reworkable resin, which is degradable after use, was developed for application as a dental resin. A dimethacrylate monomer containing a ketal linkage in the molecule was used as a reworkable monomer. The reworkable monomer was successfully cured by blue light irradiation (470-nm light) using the camphorquinone/amine photoinitiating system. The cured reworkable resins were degraded in the presence of a UV-and violet-light sensitive photoacid generator by prolonged irradiation at room temperature. The degradation was due to the acid-catalyzed decomposition of the ketal linkages in the cured reworkable monomers. The preliminary result suggested the possibility of application of the reworkable monomer as dental resins.