Current Resin Composites Research Articles

Methacrylate Polymers With "Flipped External" Ester Groups: A Review.

Current resin composites have favorable handling and upon polymerization initial physical properties that allow for efficient material replacement of removed carious tooth structure. Dental resin composites have long term durability limitations due to the hydrolysis of ester bonds within the methacrylate based polymer matrix. This article outlines the importance of ester bonds positioned internal to the carbon-carbon double bond in current methacrylate monomers. Water and promiscuous salivary/bacterial esterase activity can initiate ester bond hydrolysis that can sever the polymer backbone throughout the material. Recent studies have custom synthesized, with the latest advances in modern organic chemical synthesis, a novel molecule named ethylene glycol bis (ethyl methacrylate) (EGEMA). EGEMA was designed to retain the reactive acrylate units. Upon intermolecular polymerization of vinyl groups, EGEMA ester groups are positioned outside the backbone of the polymer chain. This review highlights investigation into the degradation resistance of EGEMA using buffer, esterase, and microbial storage assays. Material samples of EGEMA had superior final physical and mechanical properties than traditional ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) in all degradation assays. Integrating bioinformatics-based biodegradation predictions to the experimental results of storage media analyzed by LC/GC-MS revealed that hydrolysis of EGEMA generated small amounts of ethanol while preserving the strength bearing polymer backbone. Prior studies support investigation into additional custom synthesized methacrylate polymers with "flipped external" ester groups. The long term goal is to improve clinical durability compared to current methacrylates while retaining inherent advantages of acrylic based chemistry, which may ease implementation of these novel methacrylates into clinical practice.

Wear Resistance of Packable Resin Composites after Simulated Toothbrushing Test

The purpose of this study was to determine the wear resistance of five different packable composites versus two different composite controls using a laboratory toothbrushing simulation test. Twelve samples measuring 5 mm in diameter and 3 mm thick were prepared from the following resin composites: Packable resin composites SureFil (Dentsply Ind. Com. Ltda, Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Alert (Jeneric Pentron Incorporated, Wallingford, CT, USA), Filtek P60 (3M ESPE Dental Products, St. Paul, MN, USA), Prodigy Condensable (sds Kerr, Orange CA, USA), Solitaire (Heraeus Kulzer GmbH, Wehrheim, Germany), and control resin composites Z100 Restorative (3M ESPE) and Silux Plus (3M ESPE). Finishing and polishing were conducted with Sof-Lex disks (3M ESPE), and baseline weight (grams) and surface roughness (measured with Hommel Tester T 1000, Hommelwerke, GmbH, Alte Tuttinger Strebe 20. D-7730 VS-Schwenningen, Germany) were recorded. Specimens were aged for 2 weeks until they reached a weight that remained constant for 5 consecutive days, and then were subjected to 100,000 cycles of brushing (representative of 4.2 yr) using a toothbrushing testing machine. Toothbrush heads with soft bristle tips (Colgate Classic, Colgate-Palmolive Co., Osasco, São Paulo, Brazil) with dentifrice suspension (Colgate MFP, Colgate-Palmolive Co.) in deionized water were used under a 200 g load. Changes in weight and surface roughness were determined after toothbrushing cycles. Significant differences of weight loss and surface roughness were found (paired t-test, p < .05). Weight loss percentage (mean [SD]) ranged from 0.38 to 1.69% (analysis of variance and Tukey's least significant difference, p < .05); the weight loss of the materials ranked from least to most as follows: SureFil (0.38 [0.56]), Alert (0.52 [0.18]), Z100 (1.16 [0.27]), Filtek P60 (1.31 [0.17]), Solitaire (1.51 [0.45]), Prodigy Condensable (1.55 [0.471), and Silux Plus (1.69 [0.66]). Regarding surface roughness, Prodigy Condensable (0.19 [0.08]), Solitaire (0.28 [0.06]), and Z100 (0.30 [0.07]) became less rough after toothbrushing, whereas all the others were rendered rougher: Alert (0.49 [0.29]), Filtek P60 (0.28 [0.08]), Silux Plus (0.39 [0.091), and SureFil (0.81 [0.32]). SureFil and Alert were statistically more resistant to wear (less weight loss) than were the other materials. SureFil became significantly rougher than did all the others. Overal, packable resin composites are unlikely to show superior wear resistance with regard to weight loss and surface roughness compared with current resin composites also indicated for posterior restorations.