A laboratory and clinical evaluation of three dental luting cements.

The loss of material from specimens of three luting cements was measured after continuous erosion cycling in the laboratory. The glass ionomer luting cement showed significantly less material loss than the zinc polycarboxylate and zinc phosphate luting cements. Two hundred and fifty restorations cemented with one of the three materials were studied clinically for marginal integrity and retention over 3.5 years. The data were tested using survival analysis. Zinc phosphate cement gave the best clinical performance. Possible explanations for the poor correlation between the findings in the laboratory and clinical study are discussed.

Increase in compressive strength of glass ionomer restorative materials with respect to time: a guide to their suitability for use in posterior primary dentition.

Glass ionomer restorative cements have been used in anterior restorations for a number of years but have not been considered strong enough for use in posterior restorations. The compressive strengths of a number of materials currently available were measured at 30 min, 1 hour and 24 hours. It was concluded that some of the materials might be considered for posterior restorations in deciduous teeth where no other considerations, such as radiopacity, apply.

[The adhesiveness and surface quality of 3 different filling materials studied by means of the Hommel tester and REM films]. / Untersuchungen von drei verschiedenen Füllungsmaterialien auf ihre Haftung und Oberflächengüte mit Hilfe von Hommel-Tester und REM-Aufnahmen.

Three different filling materials (amalgam, composite resin [Adaptic], and silicate) were studied in terms of their adhesion, surface quality, and hardness. Using REM films, the different cleft widths between filling and tooth were demonstrated. The narrowest fissure width was observed with composite resin fillings. The Hommel tester showed that surface roughness with amalgam and composite resin could be significantly smoothed by polishing; the silicate fillings could not be polished as easily. The mean for surface hardness, measured according to Brinell, is somewhat higher for silicate; the means for composite resin and amalgam surface hardness are the same.

The quantitative measurement of the opacity of aesthetic dental filling materials.

A method is described for measuring the opacity of anesthetic dental filling materials using a goniophotometer. Procedures are given for converting measured opacity values to those referred to a 70% reflectance background (C0.7 values) as required by existing specifications. The conversion is involved, and, since most available white surfaces have reflectance of about 80%, it is recommended that in future specifications opacity be recorded as C0.8 values. Opacity values for 28 materials are reported. It was found that the opacity of dental cement decreases for several days following preparation and that powder/liquid ratio has little effect, while pigmentation has a marked effect on opacity.

[Clinical studies for the evaluation of the composite filling material Evicrol]. / Klinische Untersuchungen zur Beurteilung des Kompositfüllungsmaterials Evicrol.

339 Evicrol fillings were clinically re-examined 0,52 to 2 years after insertion. The comparison of the results obtained with those from silicate cement fillings (Hildisch) evidenced that the properties of Evicrol are better. In assessing Evicrol for a prolonged period, special attention must be paid to the higher percentage (18--33%) of discolourations appearing already within 1--2 years.

[Studies on the marginal leakage around various restorative materials. Part 1: Testing method and condition (author's transl)].

Standardized cavities prepared in bovine teeth were restored with 4 types of filling materials, lathe-cut amalgam, spherical amalgam, silicate cement and composite resin. Restored teeth were immersed in 4 degrees C and 60 degrees C dye solution alternately by automatic device which makes it possible to change the immersion interval and number optionally. By means of measuring the depth of dye penetration, the marginal leakage induced during the thermal change was evaluated and the effects of the immersion interval and number were investigated. Results are as follows. 1) It is possible to obtain the marginal leakage quantitatively by means of measuring the depth of dye penetration. 2) The marginal leakage around various restorations are significantly influenced by the immersion interval and number. 3) The depth of dye penetration varies with types of filling materials. 4) The optimum immersion interval and number are 2 minutes and 60-120 times to evaluate the marginal leakage around various restorative materials.

Specification test for the solubility and disintegration of dental cements: a critical evaluation of its meaning.

The specification test for solubility and disintegration is an essential screening test for the quality control of certain cement types. No cement fails it can be considered for use; however, the test has only a limited clinical significance because it does not give an indication of the stability of the fully hardened cement matrix either in oral fluids or water. Instead, it gives a measure of the content of the soluble reaction intermediate present in cements that are still hardening and where the matrix has not fully formed. The test relates, therefore, to early vulnerability to aqueous attack and hardening rate. The period of test is, in fact, an atypical one and the true extent of the erosion of the cement matrix is obscured by the presence of soluble reaction intermediates. Long-term extrapolations cannot be made and so test results for broadly satisfactory cements within a category cannot be used for valid comparisons of clinical excellence, and they can be used even less to compare different cement types with different setting reactions. For example, in general, the dental silicate cement has a higher solubility and distinegration figure than the zinc phosphate cement because it contains soluble sodium salt and hardens more slowly. However, it is more stable under oral conditiont an indication of the vulnerability of the forming matrix to attack. The test is not valid when applied to zinc oxide-eugenol cements because the products of decomposition are either virtually water-insoluble or volatile and therefore not measured under the conditions of the test. A method is suggested for overcoming this deficiency. The test needs to be supplemented by other tests done on fully hardened cements for longer periods of time and in mediums that can represent oral conditions. One example would be to stimulate acid conditions developed in stagnation areas. A total estimation of decomposition products, both soluble and insoluble, is called for rather than the determination of soluble materials only.

Cements for permanent luting: a summarizing review.

Three cement systems are favored for permanent luting of cast restorations. These include zinc phosphate, reinforced zinc oxide-eugenol, and polycarboxylate cements. Although others have been used in the past and new luting media are anticipated for the future, the status of currently used cement for luting is based mainly on the results of laboratory research and on clinical experience. Zinc phosphate cement, with an impressive 100-year history, currently holds the advantage. Future comprehensive clinical studies, correlated with results of physical and biological testing, may eventually direct the clinican's preference to another, newer material. It is hoped that properties and strength values that are clinically significant also will be identified, so that laboratory tests can be more predictive of clinical success.