Determination of Young's Modulus of Dental Composites: A Phenomenological Model

Authors: M. Braem, V.E. Van Doren, P. Lambrechts, G. Vanherle

Abstract

The Young’s Moduli of isotropic dental restorative composites are determined with a non-destructive dynamic method, which is based on the measurement of the duration of the fundamental period for the first harmonic of a freely oscillating sample. Statistical analysis of these results yields a phenomenological model in which Young’s modulus is given by an exponential rule of mixtures of the matrix phase and the filler phase of the composites. It is found that this phenemenological rule is substantiated empirically.