Time dependent changes in micro-hardness of bioactive cements

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to compare time dependent micro-hardness of several bioactive cement compositions as compared to that of non-bioactive cement, a conventional glass ionomer. Materials & Methods: Three bioactive materials [Ceramir Crown & Bridge Cement (CCB), Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA), Biodentine (BD)], and a glass ionomer cement, Fuji I luting cement (F1), were utilized in this study. Samples of the materials were prepared in a standard cylindrical mold 1.5 mm in height and 12.0 mm in diameter and stored in Phosphate-Buffered-Saline (PBS) at 37 degrees C. prior to testing to determine Vickers micro-hardness in a CSM micro-indentation testing device. Micro-hardness values were collected via 2 x 2 micro-indentation matrices on the exposed surfaces of the specimens. All materials were tested at 24 hours and 2 months and 11 + 1 month's incubation time. The bioactive materials displayed significant differences in Vickers hardness as a function of storage time as compared the Vickers hardness values over the similar timeframe for the control material, the glass ionomer material Fuji 1. The control glass ionomer cement did not displayed significant changes in Vickers hardness after prolonged liquid storage. The experimental bioactive materials both demonstrated long-term trends with significant increases (CCB) and decreases (Biodentine) in Vickers hardness after storage in the simulated body fluid (PBS). The mean Vickers hardness of the calcium aluminate/glass ionomer (CCB) material was significantly greater than the mean Vickers hardness values for the other three materials tested at all time-points evaluated. The conclusions of this study were as follows: Unlike conventional glass ionomer cement, both the calcium silicate and calcium aluminate/glass ionomer cement displayed significant changes in surface micro-hardness after prolonged storage in a simulated body fluid (PBS) that has been demonstrated to induce the formation of a surface bioactive layer. The calcium silicate cement had a significant reduction in surface micro-hardness over a period up to year; while the calcium aluminate/glass ionomer cement displayed a significant increase in surface micro-hardness over that same time period. The formation of and changes in the bioactive surface layers formed on these materials may account for changes in the micro-hardness of these bioactive materials.