Purpose: To investigate whether high-level irradiance and short light exposure times with light-emitting diode (LED) curing units could provide bond strength comparable to halogen lights for ceramic laminate veneers (CLVs).
Materials and methods: A total of 160 extracted human maxillary central incisors were prepared to receive CLVs (lithium disilicate) in shades A1 and A3.5. CLVs were luted with light-curing (LC) and dual-curing (DC) resin cements using four protocols: 3 seconds in extra power mode, 8 seconds in high power mode, or 10 seconds in standard mode with an LED unit, or 40 seconds with a conventional halogen light from all aspects (n = 10). Following thermal cycles, shear bond strength test was performed with a universal testing machine. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey test. Failure modes were classified under a stereomicroscope, and data were analyzed using Pearson chi-square test (P = .050).
Results: According to the intragroup comparison of different irradiation protocols, the mean shear bond strength of the A1-LC-10 group was found to be significantly higher than that of the A1-LChalogen group (P = .026). Shear bond strength values of the A1-LC-10 group and A3.5-LC-10 group were significantly higher than that of the A3.5-DC-10 group (P = .003). The A3.5-DC-3, A3.5-LC-3, and A1-DC-8 groups revealed the significantly most adhesive failures, and the A1-LC-8 group revealed the most mixed failures (P < .001).
Conclusion: Both light and dark ceramic shades with LC cement combination responded the best to the standard mode of 10-second exposure time with LED application. However, with conventional halogen light application, the highest bond strength values were obtained with DC cement and light ceramic shade combination.
