novel approach to develop a disinfecting dental cement II. physico-mechanical properties

ABSTRACT

Previous investigation indicated that adding of 10-15 wt% iodine polymer could render the zinc polycarboxylate cement disinfectant. This modification had also no significant effect on the cements setting characteristics. The current study aimed to evaluate the physico-mechanical properties of the zinc polycarboxylate cement after modifying its powder by adding 10, 12.5 and 15 wt% iodine polymer [povidone iodine]. The modified cement was tested for the compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, film thickness and solubility. All the evaluating tests were adopted from the ANSI/ADA specifications no. 96. Statistical analysis of the results using both one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] and student t-test revealed no significant change in both compressive and tensile strengths [t-test. P= 0.0269 and 0.3253] when the cement is modified by 10 wt% iodine polymer. The same modification ratio had also no significant effect [t-test. P= 0.0249] on the solubility of set cement. All the modifying ratios under investigation recorded no significant effect [ANOVA, P> 0.05] on the film thickness of the polycarboxylate cement. Depending on those results the following conclusion could be drawn Modifying the polycarboxylate cement powder by adding 10 wt% iodine polymer has no adverse effect on the cement's physico-mechanical properties