Open Photoacoustic Cell Technique as a Tool for Thermal and Thermo-Mechanical Characterization of Teeth and Their Restorative Materials

The thermal diffusivity and thermal expansion coefficient of teeth and three of their most common restorative materials (Amalgam Phase Alloy, Ionomer Fuji II LC, and Resin 3MFPITEK Lutine TMZ250) were studied by means of the open photoacoustic technique. These results were then used as a basis for the theoretical simulation of the photothermal process taking place as a consequence of modulated illumination of a two-layer system formed by the tooth and the restorative material. The model accounts for the coupling of thermal waves and thermoelastic vibration in the two-layer system.