Working Time of Polymeric Restorative Materials

Abstract

The validity of determining the working times of polymeric restorative materials with the use of rheologic methods in the laboratory has been investigated by measuring the adaptation of polymeric restorative materials to artificial cavities when inserted at 30-second time intervals during their setting reactions. There was a significant deterioration in adaptation during the working times which suggests that small changes in viscosity early in the setting reactions radically affect the materials' mobility.