Bioactive glass-ionomer cement with potential therapeutic function to dentin capping mineralization.

We have developed a novel bioactive resin-modified glass-ionomer cement system with therapeutic function to dentin capping mineralization. In the system, the newly synthesized star-shape poly(acrylic acid) was formulated with water, Fuji II LC filler, and bioactive glass S53P4 to form resin-modified glass-ionomer cement. Compressive strength (CS) was used as a screening tool for evaluation. The commercial glass-ionomer cement Fuji II LC was used as a control. All the specimens were conditioned in simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37 degrees C prior to testing. The effect of aging in SBF on CS and microhardness of the cements was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the in vitro dentin surface changes caused by the incorporation of bioactive glass. The results show that the system not only provided strengths comparable to original commercial Fuji II LC cement but also allowed the cement to help mineralize the dentin in the presence of SBF. It appears that this bioactive glass-ionomer cement system has direct therapeutic impact on dental restorations that require root surface fillings.