Patent ID: 7267546

Claim:
In a dental light curing system wherein a dental curing light is provided with a light output end having at least two LEDs of differing wavelengths that are adapted for use in curing polymerizable dental compositions responsive to the different wavelengths, a light meter for detecting when one or both LEDs of the dental curing light are outputting insufficient light to perform desired polymerization of the polymerizable materials, the light meter comprising: a housing having a receptacle for receiving therein the light output end of the dental curing light, and in which there are mounted first and second receiving means for responding to received light energy emitted by an external light source by outputting a corresponding light intensity to that received, said first receiving means responding only to the wavelength output by one of the two LEDs of the dental curing light, and said second receiving means responding only to the wavelength output by the other LED of the dental curing light; said housing further having first and second display means visibly mounted on an upper surface thereof, said first display means outputting a visual indication of the light intensity of only one of the LEDs of the dental curing light, said second display means outputting a visual indication of the light intensity of only the other of the LEDs of the dental curing light, and wherein said first and second display means simultaneously provide respective visual indications so that the first and second display means provide simultaneous detection of when one or both LEDs of the dental curing light are outputting insufficient light to perform desired polymerization of the polymerizable materials.