Restorative resins: hardness and strength vs. quantity of remaining double bonds.

It has been hypothesized that the Wallace indentation hardness of smooth surface resins is a factor of prime importance for the abrasion by food of Class 1 restorations. In the present work factors affecting the hardness of polymers were investigated. In addition the tensile strength of composite resins was measured and related to the catalytic system of the polymer. It was found that for a given composition of the monomer the Wallace hardness number increased with increasing content of inhibitor, decreased with increasing content of peroxide, and was unaffected by changes in the content of amine. The hardness was well correlated with the quantity of double bonds remaining in the polymer. BISGMA-based polymers showed no variation in hardness when the originating monomer varied with respect to content of a bi- or a trifunctional diluting monomer. Light-polymerized polymers were relatively hard as compared to chemically cured materials of adequate setting time. The tensile strength of composite resins was predominantly determined by the monomer content of peroxide and increased herewith. The tensile strength was well correlated with the quantity of remaining double bonds in the constituting polymer.