Cimento odontológico experimental a base de silicato tricálcico: análise de propriedades físico-químicas

Abstract

The demand for less invasive treatments aiming at the preservation of the tooth structure and the use of pulp protection and endodontic repair materials, which helps avoid more radical treatments, have increased in recent years. This has led the scientific community and companies to develop protocols and materials that meet this requirement. In this context, the development of silicate-based compounds has led to a higher level of effectiveness of dentin-pulp complex protective and repair materials, albeit not exempt from limitations. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the physical-chemical properties of an experimental cement based on tricalcium silicate (CExp), with suggested use for direct and indirect pulp capping and as an endodontic repair material, compared to commercial cements (Biodentine [BD] and white MTA-Angelus [MTA]). Setting time, radiopacity, sorption and solubility, compressive strength, pH, and calcium ion release were evaluated. Tooth discoloration induced by the materials was also evaluated over 150 days, according to CIE parameters. The data were evaluated, based on their parametric or non-parametric nature, by ANOVA and Tukey, Kruskal- Wallis and Dunn tests, considering significance when p <0.05. The shortest initial setting times were presented by the BD (15 min) and CExp (17.3 min) cements, which were significantly lower than MTA (33.3 min). BD exhibited the shortest final setting time (29 min), followed by CExp (48.3 min) and MTA (70 min). As for radiopacity, the highest values were observed in CExp (6.1 mm Al), followed by MTA (5.67 mm Al) and BD (3.0 mm Al). The highest values of compressive strength were presented by BD (88.78 MPa), which was significantly higher than the others. The BD presented the lowest sorption values at 24 hours (0.12%) and 28 days (0.48%), as well as solubility at 28 days (0.52%), whereas the lowest solubility values at 24 hours were observed in the CExp cement (0.26%). Regarding the pH and calcium ion release analysis, the best results in majority of evaluated periods were observed for CExp and BD, respectively; the highest values were 10.1 mg/dl (CExp/3 hours) and 5.26 mg/dl (BD/24 hours). As for the analysis of color change (ΔE), the evaluations performed at 14, 30, 120, and 150 days pointed out that all materials induced ΔE variations. CExp was the material that yielded the lowest variation at the end of the experimental phase (4.08). Considering the results observed throughout the evaluations, under the conditions of this study, it can be concluded that CExp showed similar physical-chemical properties, sometimes superior, to the commercial materials tested, except for compressive strength. Despite the need for further studies, these findings suggest the use of this experimental tricalcium silicate-based cement as a potential pulp protection and/or endodontic repair material.