Evaluation of the mechanical properties of dental adhesives and glass-ionomer cements.

Adhesives and lining/base materials should relieve the stresses concentrated at the tooth/restoration interface. The study aimed at comparing the mechanical properties of eight adhesives and six glass-ionomer cements (GICs). The adhesives were applied on dentin disks, whereas 2 mm x 3 mm x 2 mm GICs specimens were prepared in a teflon mold. Vicker's hardness (VH), elastic modulus (E), creep (Cr) and elastic work (We/Wtot) were measured with a micro hardness indenter. One-way ANOVA and Tukey's test were used to compare the mechanical properties within each materials' type and among the materials' classes. Enamel and dentin were used as references. Significant differences were detected within each materials' type and among the materials' classes and enamel and dentin. GICs were superior to adhesives in VH and E and showed a VH similar to dentin. GICs presented mechanical properties more similar to enamel and dentin than adhesives.