The rheological properties of polyelectrolyte cements II. Glass ionomers

Performance evaluation of carbon quantum dots impregnated glass ionomer cement to avoid peri-implant disease

Dental cement residues exacerbate peri-implant tissue irritation and peri-implantitis. The present study aims to evaluate the cytotoxicity, physiochemical, optical, and rheological properties of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) impregnated glass ionomer cement (GIC). Surface passivated fluorescent CQDs were synthesized using citric acid via thermal decomposition and blended with GIC. Characterization studies and rheological measurements were made to evaluate their performance. 3D-printed dental implant models cemented with GIC and GIC-CQD were compared to analyze excess cement residues. MTT assay was performed with human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and statistically analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's test. CQDs with a particle dimension of ∼2 nm were synthesized. The amorphous property of GIC-CQD was confirmed through XRD. The fluorescence properties of GIC-CQD showed three times higher emission intensity than conventional GIC. GIC-CQD attained maturation with a setting time extended by 64 s than GIC. Cement residue of size 2 mm was detected with a UV light excitation at a distance between 5 to 10 cm. Biocompatibility at 0.125 mg ml-1dilution concentrations of GIC-CQD showed viability greater than 80% to hDPSCs. For the first time, we report that CQDs-impregnated GIC is a unique and cost-effective strategy for in-situ detection of excess cement rapidly using a hand-held device. A novel in-situ rapid detection method enables the dentist to identify residual cement of size less than 2 mm during the implantation. Therefore, GIC-CQD would replace conventional GIC and help in the prevention of peri-implant diseases.

Comparison of an experimental bone cement with a commercial control, Hydroset

Glass polyalkenoate cements based on strontium calcium zinc silicate glasses (Zn-GPCs) and high molecular weight polyacrylic acids (PAA) (MW; 52,000-210,000) have been shown to exhibit mechanical properties and in vitro bioactivity suitable for arthroplasty applications. Unfortunately, these formulations exhibit working times and setting times which are too short for invasive surgical applications such as bone void filling and fracture fixation. In this study, Zn-GPCs were formulated using a low molecular weight PAA (MW; 12,700) and a modifying agent, trisodium citrate dihydrate (TSC), with the aim of improving the rheological properties of Zn-GPCs. These novel formulations were then compared with commercial self-setting calcium phosphate cement, Hydroset, in terms of compressive strength, biaxial flexural strength and Young's modulus, as well as working time, setting time and injectability. The novel Zn-GPC formulations performed well, with prolonged mechanical strength (39 MPa, compression) greater than both vertebral bone (18.4 MPa) and the commercial control (14 MPa). However, working times (2 min) and rheological properties of Zn-GPCs, though improved, require further modifications prior to their use in minimally invasive surgical techniques.

A study of the rheological properties of endodontic sealers

AIM

To test the hypothesis that there would be no statistically significant difference in viscosity-related measures of endodontic sealers or change in these with strain rate, internal diameter or powder : liquid ratio in a capillary system.

METHODOLOGY

Materials used were Apexit, Tubliseal EWT, Grossman's sealer and Ketac-endo. Viscosity-related measures were tested in a two-plate test, and in a capillary rheometer. The mean values (n = 12) for thickness and diameter of material formed between two glass plates were tested with one-way analysis of variance. Pressure was applied to a capillary rheometer at strain rates 5 and 10 mm min(-1) in tubes of internal diameter 0.6 and 1.2 mm.

RESULTS

Tubliseal EWT had a thinner film thickness than the other sealers (alpha = 0.05). The difference in diameter between Tubliseal EWT and the other sealers was significant apart from Apexit. Increased strain rate gave a significant increase (alpha = 0.05) in the flow of all sealers. Narrower tubes produced increased velocity, which was significant for all sealers, and reduced volumetric flow, which was significant for all sealers except Grossman's 2 : 1 (Wilcoxon signed rank test). Reduction in powder : liquid ratio of Grossman's significantly increased flow in narrow tubes and at higher strain rate (Mann-Whitney test).

CONCLUSION

There was a significant difference between the flow of Tubliseal EWT and the other sealers tested in the two-plate test; capillary flow was affected by sealer, internal diameter, strain rate and powder : liquid ratio. The null hypotheses were rejected.

Luting cement-metal surface physicochemical interactions on film thickness

Low film thickness is critical to the clinical success of cemented castings. This study investigated the effect of luting agent-metal physico-chemical surface interactions on film thicknesses of representative luting agents. Control group luting agents were placed between two glass plates, as described by American Dental Association specifications 8, 61, and 66, and test group luting agents were positioned between glass and metal plates. The materials selected were zinc phosphate cement, polycarboxylate cement, glass ionomer cement, glass ionomer-composite resin hybrid cement and a resinous cement, with a type III gold alloy, a noble metal ceramic alloy, and a base metal ceramic alloy. A two-way analysis of variance and follow-up tests were done. The effects of the type of metal surface, type of cement, and their statistical interaction significantly affected film thickness (p < 0.0001). The type of cement had a greater affect on film thickness than the type of metal. A glass ionomer cement produced lower overall film thicknesses than other cement types, and a noble metal ceramic alloy created lower overall film thicknesses than other types of metal. American Dental Association specifications for cement film thickness did not accurately reflect normal cement use.

The rheological properties of polyelectrolyte cements. I. polycarboxylates

The rheological behaviour of six setting carboxylate cements was studied by capillary techniques in the shear rate of 0.65-65 s-1 and the cements were found to behave as power law fluids. All cements became dilatant as setting progressed and the kinetics of apparent viscosity increase, were found to follow an exponential function of time, exp (mt), with m congruent to 0.5.