Decades ago, curing lights transformed the restorative workflow—and today, they’re a practice essential. Over the course of his 42-year career, Scott Coleman, DDS, MAGD, has seen that evolution firsthand, using dozens of curing lights in his Houston practice.
Most recently, he tried Kerr Dental’s new Demi Pro Curing Light, which he says delivers 3 critical features: an integrated radiometer, a collimated beam of light, and a pulsing energy output that shifts intensity throughout each cycle. For Dr. Coleman, it’s a winning combination.
The Energy Needed to Cure
With a built-in radiometer, clinicians can easily test the intensity of the light output, giving them confidence that their materials will be fully cured.
“The minimum standard for most curing light manufacturers is at least 1,000 mW/cm, so being able to check the output is critical for peace of mind,” Dr. Coleman shared. “With Demi Pro’s radiometer feature, I know I’m getting the level of energy that I need to cure the material I’m using.”
By delivering a powerful collimated light output, along with an improved beam profile—even at increased distances—Demi Pro offers high-intensity light distribution across varying distances as well as reliable curing for both blue and violet ranges, affording deeper, more consistent cures.
“The goal is to have an energy that’s focused within a certain diameter, because then you get a higher energy concentration, so the depth of cure or how far down the energy gets within the material has been noticeably improved,” Dr. Coleman said. “With bulk-fill materials and some of the cements most dentists are using, we really need a strong, intense amount of energy as deep as we can get it.”
Demi Pro also features a patented Periodic Level Shifting (PLS) technology, which allows the intensity of the light output to shift multiple times during the curing cycle, resulting in a continuous high output while helping to manage the excess heat on the tooth during curing.“
PLS allows clinicians to get a huge amount of energy on the restoration without increasing the temperature. In simple terms, it’s actually pulsing,” he said. “It’s phenomenal how well it works in a clinical environment.”
With an ergonomic feel and design that offers 360° access, a low-profile tip, and an optional transillumination tip, Dr. Coleman finds Demi Pro easy to use, significantly lighter than similar curing lights, and more efficient. As with any curing light system, successful polymerization depends on proper positioning of the light beam, exposure time, and adherence to the manufacturer's instructions for use.
“I’ve used a ton of curing lights, and this one’s definitely the latest and greatest. I’m a 4th-generation Texan, and the term I would use for the Demi Pro is that it’s ‘the cat’s meow,’” he concluded.
