Quantifying and comparing the radiopacity of five bulk fill composites in digital dental radiographs – a contribution to human identification

• Published in: Journal of forensic radiology and imaging 2019-09, Vol.18, p.20-23
• Main Authors: de AQUINO, Daphne Azambuja Hatschbach, FERNANDES, Ângela, MANHÃES JUNIOR, Luiz Roberto Coutinho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Forensic odontology; Human identification; Imaging; Radiology
• ISSN: 2212-4780; 2212-4799
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jofri.2019.03.002

•Dental human identification is founded on the detection of identifiers.•Bulk fill composites are new types of therapeutic dental identifiers.•Bulk fill composites may be distinguishable based on radiopacity levels.•These composites may be more prevalent in autopsies in the future.•Forensic dentists should know the radiopacity of bulk fill composites. : To compare the quantified radiopacity of five bulk fill composites in digital dental radiographs. : An in-vitro observational study was performed with five dental restoration materials: I) Bulk Fill Surefil SDR+ flow® (Dentsply Sirona®, York, PA, USA), II) Bulk Fill Sonic Fill® (Kerr Corp.®, Orange, CA, USA); III) Filtek Bulk Fill flow® (3M Company®, Maplewood, MN, USA); IV) Tetric N Ceram Bulk Fill® (Ivoclar Vivadent®, Schaan, Liechtenstein); and V) Aura® (SDI Ltd.®, Victoria, Australia). Digital radiographs were taken standardly from four samples of each composite (n = 20). The radiopacity inherent detected in the radiographs was quantified using a 9-level aluminum scale. : ANOVA and Tukey's test showed statistically significant differences between the radiopacity of all bulk fill composites (p