Effects of deformation rate variation on biaxial flexural properties of dental resin composites

Toothbrush Abrasion of Restorations Fabricated with Flowable Resin Composites with Different Viscosities In Vitro

The purpose of this study was to examine toothbrush-induced abrasion of resin composite restorations fabricated with flowable resin composites of different viscosities in vitro. In this study, six types of flowable resin composites with different flowability (Beautifil Flow F02, F02; Beautifil Flow F10, F10; Beautifil Flow Plus F00, P00; Beautifil Flow Plus F03, P03; Beautifil Flow Plus X F00, X00; and Beautifil Flow Plus X F03, X03) were used. For the toothbrush abrasion test, the standard cavity (4 mm in diameter and 2 mm in depth) formed on the ceramic block was filled with each flowable resin composite (n = 10) and brushed for up to 40,000 strokes in a suspension containing commercial toothpaste under the conditions of 500 g load, 60 strokes/min, and 30 mm stroke distance. After every 10,000 strokes, the brushed surface of the specimen was impressed with a silicone rubber material. The amount of toothbrush-induced abrasion observed on each impression of the specimen was measured using a wide-area 3D measurement device (n = 10). The viscosity was determined using a cone-and-plate rotational measurement system. Because of the effect of different shear rates on viscosity and clinical use, the values 1.0 and 2.0 s⁻¹ were adopted as data (n = 6). In this study, the results of the toothbrush abrasion test demonstrated no significant differences in the amount of toothbrush-induced abrasion among flowable resin composites used (p > 0.05). No significant correlation was reported between toothbrush-induced abrasion and viscosities of flowable resin composites.

Effect of Nanostructures on the Properties of Glass Ionomer Dental Restoratives/Cements: A Comprehensive Narrative Review

Overall perspective of nanotechnology and reinforcement of dental biomaterials by nanoparticles has been reported in the literature. However, the literature regarding the reinforcement of dental biomaterials after incorporating various nanostructures is sparse. The present review addresses current developments of glass ionomer cements (GICs) after incorporating various metallic, polymeric, inorganic and carbon-based nanostructures. In addition, types, applications, and implications of various nanostructures incorporated in GICs are discussed. Most of the attempts by researchers are based on the laboratory-based studies; hence, it warrants long-term clinical trials to aid the development of suitable materials for the load bearing posterior dentition. Nevertheless, a few meaningful conclusions are drawn from this substantial piece of work; they are as follows: (1) most of the nanostructures are likely to enhance the mechanical strength of GICs; (2) certain nanostructures improve the antibacterial activity of GICs against the cariogenic bacteria; (3) clinical translation of these promising outcomes are completely missing, and (4) the nanostructured modified GICs could perform better than their conventional counterparts in the load bearing posterior dentition.

Shrinkage Stress and Temperature Variation in Resin Composites Cured via Different Photoactivation Methods: Insights for Standardisation of the Photopolymerisation

The literature has shown that there is no consensus regarding the best resin composite photoactivation protocol. This study evaluated the efficiency of the conventional, soft-start, pulse-delay and exponential protocols for photoactivation of resin composites in reducing the shrinkage stress and temperature variation during the photopolymerisation. The photoactivation processes were performed using a photocuring unit and a smartphone app developed to control the irradiance according each photoactivation protocol. These photoactivation methods were evaluated applying photoactivation energies recommended by the resins manufactures. Three brands of resin composites were analysed: Z-250, Charisma and Ultrafill. The cure effectiveness was evaluated through depth of cure experiments. All results were statistically evaluated using one-way and multi-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA). The use of exponential and pulse-delay methods resulted in a significant reduction of the shrinkage stress for all evaluated resins; however, the pulse-delay method required too long a photoactivation time. The increases on the temperature were lower when the exponential photoactivation was applied; however, the temperature variation for all photoactivation protocols was not enough to cause damage in the restoration area. The evaluation of the depth of cure showed that all photoactivation protocols resulted in cured resins with equivalent hardness, indicating that the choice of an alternative photoactivation protocol did not harm the polymerisation. In this way, the results showed the exponential protocol as the best photoactivation technique for practical applications.

Recent Progress in Antimicrobial Strategies for Resin-Based Restoratives

Repairing tooth defects with dental resin composites is currently the most commonly used method due to their tooth-colored esthetics and photocuring properties. However, the higher than desirable failure rate and moderate service life are the biggest challenges the composites currently face. Secondary caries is one of the most common reasons leading to repair failure. Therefore, many attempts have been carried out on the development of a new generation of antimicrobial and therapeutic dental polymer composite materials to inhibit dental caries and prolong the lifespan of restorations. These new antimicrobial materials can inhibit the formation of biofilms, reduce acid production from bacteria and the occurrence of secondary caries. These results are encouraging and open the doors to future clinical studies on the therapeutic value of antimicrobial dental resin-based restoratives. However, antimicrobial resins still face challenges such as biocompatibility, drug resistance and uncontrolled release of antimicrobial agents. In the future, we should focus on the development of more efficient, durable and smart antimicrobial dental resins. This article focuses on the most recent 5 years of research, reviews the current antimicrobial strategies of composite resins, and introduces representative antimicrobial agents and their antimicrobial mechanisms.

Saliva Influence on the Mechanical Properties of Advanced CAD/CAM Composites for Indirect Dental Restorations

This study aims to evaluate the microstructural and mechanical properties of three commercial resin-based materials available for computer-aid design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM)-processed indirect dental restoration: Lava^TM Ultimate Restorative (LU), 3M ESPE; Brilliant Crios (BC), COLTENE and Cerasmart^TM (CS), GC Dental Product. The three types of resin-based composite CAD/CAM materials were physically and mechanically tested under two conditions: directly as received by the manufacturer (AR) and after storage under immersion in artificial saliva (AS) for 30 days. A global approximation to microstructure and mechanical behaviour was evaluated: density, hardness and nanohardness, nanoelastic modulus, flexural strength, fracture toughness, fracture surfaces, and microstructures and fractography. Moreover, their structural and chemical composition using X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were investigated. As a result, LU exhibited slightly higher mechanical properties, while the decrease of its mechanical performance after immersion in AS was doubled compared to BC and CS. Tests of pristine material showed 13 GPa elastic modulus, 150 MPa flexural strength, 1.0 MPa·m^1/2 fracture toughness, and 1.0 GPa hardness for LU, 11.4 GPa elastic modulus; 140 MPa flexural strength, 1.1 MPa·m^1/2 fracture toughness, and 0.8 GPa hardness for BC; and 8.3 GPa elastic modulus, 140 MPa flexural strength, 0.9 MPa·m^1/2 fracture toughness, and 0.7 GPa hardness for CS. These values were significantly reduced after one month of immersion in saliva. The interpretation of the mechanical results could suggest, in general, a better behaviour of LU compared with the other two despite it having the coarsest microstructure of the three studied materials. The saliva effect in the three materials was critically relevant for clinical use and must be considered when choosing the best solution for the restoration to be used.

Comparative analysis of bond strength and microleakage of newer generation bonding agents to enamel and dentin: An in vitro study

Aims

This study aims to evaluate the bond strength (BS) and microleakage (ML) of the newer bonding agents to enamel and dentin.

Objective

(1) To analyze the BS between self-etch and total-etch adhesives. (2) To analyze the depth of ML between self-etch and total-etch adhesives.

Materials and Methods

Sixty mandibular premolars were fabricated and randomly divided into three groups: Group I (n = 20)-bonded with self-etch adhesive + nanohybrid, Group II (n = 20) with total-etch adhesive + micro hybrid and Group III (n = 20) with total-etch adhesive + nanocomposite. Teflon ring molds were used to make composite resin cylinders bonded to the buccal surface. Class II box cavity was prepared on the samples' proximal surface and condensed with composite resin with each group's specific bonding protocol. Shear BS and ML testing were conducted, and data analyzed.

Statistical Analysis

Kruskal-Wallis analysis was done to statistically differentiate the BS and ML between the three experimental groups; the P < 0.05, it showed a statistically significant difference. Intergroup comparison was made using the Mann-Whitney U test.

Conclusions

Within this study's limitation, resin bonded with self-etch G-Premio Bond used in selective etch technique showed the highest BS and resistance to ML.

Flexural Strength of Resin Core Build-Up Materials: Correlation to Root Dentin Shear Bond Strength and Pull-Out Force

The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of root dentin shear bond strength and pull-out force of resin core build-up materials on flexural strength immediately after setting, after one-day water storage, and after 20,000 thermocycles. Eight core build-up and three luting materials were investigated, using 10 specimens (n = 10) per subgroup. At three time periods-immediately after setting, after one-day water storage, and after 20,000 thermocycles, shear bond strengths to root dentin and pull-out forces were measured. Flexural strengths were measured using a 3-point bending test. For all core build-up and luting materials, the mean data of flexural strength, shear bond strength and pull-out force were the lowest immediately after setting. After one-day storage, almost all the materials yielded their highest results. A weak, but statistically significant, correlation was found between flexural strength and shear bond strength (r = 0.508, p = 0.0026, n = 33). As the pull-out force increased, the flexural strength of core build-up materials also increased (r = 0.398, p = 0.0218, n = 33). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using these three independent factors of flexural strength, pull-out force and root dentin shear bond strength, which showed this relationship: Flexural strength = 3.264 × Shear bond strength + 1.533 × Pull out force + 10.870, p = 0.002). For all the 11 core build-up and luting materials investigated immediately after setting, after one-day storage and after 20,000 thermocycles, their shear bond strengths to root dentin and pull-out forces were correlated to the flexural strength in core build-up materials. It was concluded that the flexural strength results of the core build-up material be used in research and quality control for the predictor of the shear bond strength to the root dentin and the retentive force of the post.

Biomimetic Aspects of Restorative Dentistry Biomaterials

Biomimetic has emerged as a multi-disciplinary science in several biomedical subjects in recent decades, including biomaterials and dentistry. In restorative dentistry, biomimetic approaches have been applied for a range of applications, such as restoring tooth defects using bioinspired peptides to achieve remineralization, bioactive and biomimetic biomaterials, and tissue engineering for regeneration. Advancements in the modern adhesive restorative materials, understanding of biomaterial-tissue interaction at the nano and microscale further enhanced the restorative materials' properties (such as color, morphology, and strength) to mimic natural teeth. In addition, the tissue-engineering approaches resulted in regeneration of lost or damaged dental tissues mimicking their natural counterpart. The aim of the present article is to review various biomimetic approaches used to replace lost or damaged dental tissues using restorative biomaterials and tissue-engineering techniques. In addition, tooth structure, and various biomimetic properties of dental restorative materials and tissue-engineering scaffold materials, are discussed.

Ageing of Dental Composites Based on Methacrylate Resins-A Critical Review of the Causes and Method of Assessment

The paper reviews the environmental factors affecting ageing processes, and the degradation of resins, filler, and the filler-matrix interface. It discusses the current methods of testing materials in vitro. A review of literature was conducted with the main sources being PubMed. ScienceDirect, Mendeley, and Google Scholar were used as other resources. Studies were selected based on relevance, with a preference given to recent research. The ageing process is an inherent element of the use of resin composites in the oral environment, which is very complex and changes dynamically. The hydrolysis of dental resins is accelerated by some substances (enzymes, acids). Bonds formed between coupling agent and inorganic filler are prone to hydrolysis. Methods for prediction of long-term behaviour are not included in composite standards. Given the very complex chemical composition of the oral environment, ageing tests based on water can only provide a limited view of the clinical performance of biomaterial. Systems that can reproduce dynamic changes in stress (thermal cycling, fatigue tests) are better able to mimic clinical conditions and could be extremely valuable in predicting dental composite clinical performance. It is essential to identify procedure to determine the ageing process of dental materials.

A systematic study and effect of PLA/Al2O3 nanoscaffolds as dental resins: mechanochemical properties

One of the major and important challenges in dental composite resin and restoration is the mechanical performance and property of materials. Nanotechnology can produce nanoscale materials that are used in dentistry to help stabilize and strengthen the dentistry. In this work, we study the synthesis and characterization of PLA/Al₂O₃ nanoscaffold in different conditions such as concentration, temperature, pH, microwave power and irradiation time. PLA/Al₂O₃ nanoscaffolds were prepared by a micelle-assisted hydrothermal method. Durability, stability and biodegradable nature of nanopolymers have created the much-applied potential for using this structures in many fields such as dental resin composites. Products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transition electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transformed infrared spectrum (FT-IR), Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The synthesis factors were designed by Taguchi technique to control the process systematically. It was found that the intermolecular crosslinks between PLA and Al₂O₃ nanoparticles cause significant improves in the mechanical properties of PLA/Al₂O₃ nanoscaffold as dental nanocomposites. The flexural strength (88.0 MPa), modulus (7.5 GPa) and compressive strength (157.2 MPa) were calculated for PLA/Al₂O₃ nanoscaffolds loaded in Heliomolar Flow composite resins at 80 ppm (wt) concentration.