Abstract
The glass ionomer cement as one of the dental cements has been subjected to be widespread application in restoring tooth structure. Most of glass ionomer cements employ the poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as the liquid phase, but the presence of PAA inhibits the apatite formation on the surface in the body environment, which is an essential requirement for exhibiting bone‐bonding ability (bioactivity). In this study, poly(γ‐glutamic acid) (γ‐PGA), a kind of biopolymer, was utilized for cement preparation. The effort of preparation parameters including the glass powders/liquid ratio (P/L) and the concentration of γ‐PGA on diametral tensile strength were investigated. A maximum diametral tensile strength value of 11.88 ± 1.43 MPa was obtained when the cement sample was prepared by P/L ratio of 1 : 1 and the γ‐PGA concentration of 30% after aging for 3 days. The TF‐XRD patterns, SEM images, and EDX spectra suggested that the cement induced a precipitation of calcite on the surface after 7 days of immersion in stimulated body fluid (SBF), although the apatite formation was not observed. The present results suggest that the cement has potential to show bioactivity in vivo, because calcite is also reported to be bioactive.
Highlights
Glass ionomer cements (GICs), one kind of restorative materials, have been successfully used in dentistry for more than three decades [1]
The deterioration of diametral tensile strength (DTS) was following the increase of powders/liquid ratio (P/L) ratio, and this change trend was consistent at various concentrations of the γ-PGA solution
The glass ionomer cements have been successfully attempted by using glass powders of 50 wt% SiO2-50 wt% Al2O3 composition mixed with γ-PGA solution
Summary
Glass ionomer cements (GICs), one kind of restorative materials, have been successfully used in dentistry for more than three decades [1]. The application is extending to implant fixation [2] and reconstructive surgical procedures [3] Their attributes in dental role include direct adhesion to tooth mineral and release of fluoride ions to defend against dental caries [4]. Kamitakahara et al revealed that the existence of PAA even in ppm grade inhibited the apatite formation on the GIC surface, which means that any PAA-containing GICs will lose their bioactivity in body environment [9]. If such cements are intended for orthopaedic use, a new substitution of polyalkenoic acid must be developed
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