Evaluation of the effect of a glass ionomer cement containing fluoro-zinc-silicate glass on dentin remineralization using the ultrasonic pulse-echo method

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effect of a glass ionomer cement (GIC) consisting of fluoro-zinc-silicate glass on the demineralization of bovine dentin using the ultrasonic pulse-echo method. The findings were compared with those obtained using a conventional GIC. Slabs of dentin from bovine teeth were sliced, shaped into a rectangular form, and immersed in 0.5 M ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solution at 25ºC for 6 days, followed by storage in distilled water for 3 days. After demineralization, they were immersed in artificial saliva with and without the GIC specimens. The propagation times of the longitudinal ultrasonic waves in the samples were measured. The ultrasonic velocities of the fluoro-zinc-silicate glass-containing GICs were significantly increased 2–3 days after the start of the experiment and showed an upward trend thereafter. These findings indicate that the GICs containing fluoro-zinc-silicate glass might exhibit the potential to promote remineralization in the dentin.