Polyacrylic acid-metal adhesive bond joint characterization by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Effect of intraoral aging on the setting status of resin composite and glass ionomer orthodontic adhesives

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of intraoral aging on the setting status of a resin composite and a glass ionomer adhesive, relative to control specimens stored in water.

METHODS

Metallic brackets were bonded with resin composite orthodontic adhesive (Transbond XT; 3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif) or a glass ionomer cement (Fuji I; GC, Tokyo, Japan) to recently extracted premolars and kept in water for 6 months. The same materials were also bonded to the premolars of orthodontic patients. After 6 months, the teeth were carefully extracted, with the brackets intact on their buccal surfaces. All teeth were embedded in epoxy resin and sectioned buccolingually. Fourier transform infrared microscopy and Raman microscopy were used for the estimation of the degree of cure in the composite and the salt yield in the glass ionomer adhesives.

RESULTS

The control samples of the composite showed significantly lower degrees of cure than did the retrieved specimens (52.40% ± 3.21% vs 57.62% ± 1.32% by Fourier transform infrared microscopy, and 61.40% ± 2.61% vs 67.40% ± 3.44% by Raman microscopy). Raman microscopy significantly overestimated the degree of cure and failed to provide reliable information for the salt yield in the glass ionomer cement. Fourier transform infrared microscopy showed increased, but no statistically significant difference in, aluminum-carboxylate salts in the retrieved specimens.

CONCLUSIONS

Enhanced oxidation of residual carbon-carbon bonds in the composite and slightly increased dissolution of the weaker calcium-salt phase in the glass ionomer cement were the main differences in the intraorally aged specimens in comparison with the specimens stored in water.

Effect of surface treatments on the bond strength of glass ionomers to enamel

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of various surface treatments on the bond strength of several glass ionomers to enamel, and to examine the resulting bond interface.

METHODS

Ground bovine enamel specimens were divided into groups which were pretreated with one of the following: (1) no pretreatment, (2) Vitremer primer, (3) 10% polyacrylic acid or (4) 35% phosphoric acid. A conventional glass ionomer and two resin-modified glass ionomers (RMGI's) were bonded to the pretreated enamel surfaces, stored in water for 24h and shear bond strengths measured. RMGI's were tested as light-cured and self-cured materials. Transverse sections of similarly prepared samples were etched with phosphoric acid for 60s to partially remove enamel and expose the enamel/glass-ionomer interface. The interface morphology was examined by SEM.

RESULTS

Polyacrylic acid and phosphoric acid conditioning resulted in significantly increased bond strength to enamel for all three glass ionomer materials, compared to no pretreatment (p<0.01). Light-cured bond strengths were in most cases, significantly greater than when self-cured (p<0.01). Examination of the bonded interfaces revealed the presence of polymer tags in the enamel conditioned with polyacrylic acid and phosphoric acid.

SIGNIFICANCE

Conditioners significantly improved the bond to enamel for the conventional glass ionomer and RMGI's that were examined in this study. Micromechanical bonding may play a role in the mechanism of bonding glass ionomer to enamel.

Dental cements

The manifold uses of dental cements-as (a) luting agents, (b) cavity linings and bases, and (c) restorations for teeth—make them perhaps the most important materials in clinical dentistry. The research of the last 10 years has resulted in four main types, classified by matrix-forming species: (1) phosphate, (2) phenolate, (3) polycarboxylate, and (4) polymethacrylate. The zinc phosphate cements continue to be widely used for luting in an essentially unchanged form. Acidity and oral dissolution remain as problems. The zinc-oxide eugenol cements and their modifications are useful as linings and temporary materials but are susceptible to hydrolytic breakdown. Vanillate cements may be an improvement. Calcium hydroxide-salicylate cements are widely used as cavity linings, especially on exposures, and show improved resistance to acid dissolution. Polycarboxylate cements as both zinc polycarboxylate and glass-ionomer cements show adhesion potential, good physical properties, fluoride release, and, generally, good biological properties. Glass-ionomer cements when correctly manipulated show minimal oral dissolution. Polymethacrylate cements have been used principally for bonding etched cast metal restorations to etched enamel. Recently, adhesive crown-and-bridge cements have been developed. There are no well-established correlations between laboratory measurements of apparently relevant properties and clinical performance. More clinically-based research is needed to facilitate the development of new cements.