In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of the addition of powdery cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) on the mechanical properties of glass ionomer cement (GIC) without negatively affecting its chemical properties. Commercial GIC was reinforced with powdery CNFs (2–8 wt.%) and characterized in terms of flexural strength, compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, and fluoride-ion release properties. Powdery CNFs and samples subjected to flexural strength testing were observed via scanning electron microscopy. CNF incorporation was found to significantly improve the flexural, compressive, and diametral tensile strengths of GIC, and the corresponding composite was shown to contain fibrillar aggregates of nanofibers interspersed in the GIC matrix. No significant differences in fluoride-ion release properties were observed between the control GIC and the CNF-GIC composite. Thus, powdery CNFs were concluded to be a promising GIC reinforcement agent.
The purpose of this study was to examine the anti-oral microorganism effects of fluorine and/or silver ions implanted into acrylic resin (PMMA) using plasma-based ion implantation (PBII) with argon gas. The experimental PMMA specimens were implanted with F and Ag ions alone or simultaneously by the PBII method using Ar or Ar/F2 gases and Ag mesh. The surface characteristics were evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), contact angle measurements, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Moreover, the antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and the antifungal activity against Candida albicans (C. albicans) were examined by the adenosine-5’-triphosphate (ATP) emission luminescence method. XPS spectra of the modified specimens revealed peaks due to F in the Ar/F and the Ar/F+Ag groups, and due to Ag in the Ar+Ag and the Ar/F+Ag groups. The water contact angle increased significantly due to the implantation of Ar, F, and Ag. In the AFM observations, the surface roughness of the Ar/F and the Ar/F+Ag groups increased significantly by less than 5 nanometers. The presence of F and Ag was found to inhibit S. mutans growth in the Ar+Ag and the Ar/F+Ag groups. However, this method provided no significant antifungal activity against C. albicans.
Fissure sealants are normally composite resin or glass ionomer cement (GIC) materials. In a systematic review [2] comparing the results of eight studies of composite resin-based and GIC-based sealants, three stud
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.