BIOACTIVITY AND REMINERALIZATION POTENTIAL OF PARTICLE-SIZE-ENGINEERED GLASS IONOMER CEMENTS
Keywords:
glass ionomer cement, particle size, fluoride release, pH, remineralization, hybrid GIC, enamel microhardness.Abstract
Contemporary restorative dentistry increasingly demands materials that are not merely inert fillers but active contributors to the oral environment. Conventional glass ionomer cements (GICs), while valued for chemical adhesion and fluoride release, are limited by modest mechanical strength and incomplete understanding of their bioactive potential. This study investigates how modification of filler particle size—at submicron, nano, and hybrid scales—affects ion release dynamics, pH evolution, and remineralization capacity of GICs. Three formulations, derived from Fuji IX GP Extra, were compared using ion-selective analysis and enamel microhardness recovery assays over 28 days. The hybrid formulation exhibited a sustained fluoride and calcium release pattern, faster pH neutralization, and superior enamel hardness recovery relative to the nano and submicron forms. These results demonstrate that particle-size engineering can effectively modulate the physicochemical interactions of GICs with the oral environment, enhancing their therapeutic potential for minimally invasive pediatric dentistry.
References
Wilson AD, Kent BE. A new translucent cement for dentistry. Br Dent J. 1972;132:133–135.
Mickenautsch S, Yengopal V. Retention loss and caries prevention of fissure sealants. Dent Mater J. 2012;31:846–857.
Nicholson JW. Chemistry of glass-ionomer cements: a review. Biomaterials. 1998;19:485–494.
Mount GJ, Ngo H. Minimal intervention: a new concept for operative dentistry. Aust Dent J. 2000;45:174–179.
Czarnecka B, Nicholson JW. Ion release by GICs: role in remineralization. Dent Mater. 2006;22:581–588.
De Caluwé T et al. Influence of particle size on glass-ionomer cements. J Dent Res. 2014;93:681–686.
Sidhu SK, Nicholson JW. A review of glass-ionomer cements for clinical dentistry. J Funct Biomater. 2016;7:16.
Peutzfeldt A. Resin-modified glass ionomers: properties and applications. Oper Dent. 2015;40:82–89.
Ngo H, Mount GJ, Peters M. The role of fluoride in GIC-based materials. Aust Dent J. 2012;57:10–17.
Wilson RM, et al. Particle size and acid–base reaction kinetics of GICs. Acta Biomater. 2019;95:553–562.
Sidhu SK, et al. Bioactive glass hybrids and ionomeric reactions. Dent Mater. 2018;34:345–357.
Cattani-Lorente MA et al. Acid–base reaction and matrix dissolution. J Dent Res. 2013;92:257–263.
Moshaverinia A et al. Mechanical properties of nano-GICs. J Prosthet Dent. 2011;105:158–165.
Kamnoedboon P et al. Nanoparticle reinforcement and bioactivity of GIC. Mater Sci Eng C. 2020;117:111303.
Khudanov B, Tuygunov N, et al. Effect of particle size reduction on physicochemical and mechanical properties of GIC. J Mater Sci Dent. 2025 (submitted).
Ngo HC, Mount GJ. Reinforcement mechanisms in hybrid ionomers. Oper Dent. 2022;47:78–87.
Tjäderhane L, et al. Filler-matrix interaction in nano-ionomers. Dent Mater. 2023;39:200–214.
ISO 9917-1:2018. Dentistry — Water-based cements — Part 1: Powder/liquid acid-base cements.
Featherstone JDB. Remineralization of enamel lesions: a review. Caries Res. 1999;33:243–249.
ten Cate JM. Current concepts on the theories of the mechanism of action of fluoride. Acta Odontol Scand. 1999;57:325–329.
Ryge G, Snyder M. Evaluating the clinical quality of restorations. J Am Dent Assoc. 1973;87:369–377.
Wegehaupt FJ, Attin T. Effect of fluoride-releasing restorative materials on remineralization. J Dent. 2010;38:849–855.
Poitevin A et al. Interfacial remineralization phenomena. Dent Mater. 2013;29:852–859.
Turssi CP et al. Bioactivity of glass-ionomer cements. J Biomed Mater Res B. 2021;109:233–242.
Sidhu SK, et al. Fluoride kinetics and clinical efficacy. Oper Dent. 2020;45:170–182.
Nicholson JW. Advances in the chemistry of GICs. J Dent. 2023;134:103–112.
Mount GJ. The role of glass-ionomers in caries control. Int Dent J. 2019;69:105–112.
Moshaverinia A, et al. Calcium release and apatite formation from hybrid cements. Dent Mater J. 2019;38:230–239.
Peutzfeldt A, et al. Bioactivity and clinical durability of GIC-based sealants. Clin Oral Investig. 2022;26:4123–4135.
