Cytotoxic Effects of and Fluoride release from Glass-ionomer Cement Containing short Glass fibers

Abstract

Glass-ionomer cement is known to possess many advantages such as fluoride release and uptake for caries resistance, low degree of stimulation of the pulp, good clinical adhesion and high esthetic value. We have been investigating the possibility of improving the mechanical properties of glassionomer cement by adding short glass fibers to the cement. This study was carried out to evaluate the biocompatibility of glass-ionomer cement to which short glass fibers had been added. The viability of cells exposed to various specimens was investigated with MTT assays using rat pulp cells. The effect of fluoride release from the specimens was also investigated.
The following results were obtained.
1. The viability of cells exposed to the specimens was greatest in the case of Fuji II LC (G-C Co. Ltd. ) and Scotchbond Multi-Purpose (3 M Dental Products) followed by glass-ionomer cement (HYBOND GLASIONOMER CX; Shofu Inc. ) and glass-ionomer cement containing 20% glass fibers.
2. The pH values of those specimens immersed in culture medium changed to more neutral values due to the effect of the buffer. The pH of a specimen mixed only with glass fibers and polymeric carbolic acid solution was low.
3. Sufficient amounts of fuoride were released from glass-ionomer cement specimens immersed in culture medium. The addition of glass fibers did not reduce the amount of fluoride released.
The results showed that glass-ionomer cement containing short glass fibers has good biocompatibility and releases a sufficient amount of fluoride suggesting that this glass-ionomer cement is promising as new cement that has an anti-caries effect and has good mechanical properties.