The aims of this study were to improve the mechanical and chemical properties of conventional restorative glass ionomer cement (GIC) by adding hydroxyapatite (HAp) preparations with different characteristics, and to investigate the underlying reaction mechanisms. Fuji IX GP® was used as the control GIC. The experimental GICs consisted of four HAp-particles with different characteristics added at 8 mass% to Fuji IX-powder. All cements were prepared by mixing with Fuji IX-liquid (P/L=3.6). Four HAp-particles were analyzed, and then the mechanical strengths and the fluoride-ion- release-recharge-behaviors of five GIC groups were evaluated. The results of this study demonstrate that the addition of HAp particles with highly reactive properties such as high specific surface area can enhance the flexural strength and fluoride ion release properties of conventional restorative GIC. Our results further indicate that HAp functions as an adsorbent and an ion exchangeable agent, resulting in improved mechanical and chemical properties of GIC.

The aims of this study were to evaluate the fluorine depth profiles of pure titanium (Ti), stainless steel (SUS), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) modified by plasma-based fluorine ion implantation and the effects of fluorine ion implantation on contact angle, fluoride ion release, and S. mutans adhesion. Fluorine-based gases used were Ar+F2 and CF4. By means of SIMS, it was found that the peak count of PMMA was the lowest while that of Ti was the highest. Then, up to one minute after Ar sputtering, the presence of fluorine and chromic fluoride could be detected by XPS in the surface and subsurface layer. As for the effects of using CF4 gas for fluorine ion implantation into SUS substrate, the results were: contact angle was significantly increased; no fluoride ion release was detected; antibacterial activity was significantly increased while initial adhesion was decreased. These findings thus indicated that plasma-based fluorine ion implantation into SUS with CF4 gas provided surface antibacterial activity which was useful in inhibiting bacterial adhesion.

Especially in pediatric dentistry, prevention by the control of initial lesions prior to cavitation is very important, and application of a pit and fissure sealant is essential to achieve this. Numerous reports have suggested that resin-based sealants are inferior to sealants based on glass-ionomer cement (GIC), because of GIC’s many advantages, such as fluoride ion release properties and its good adhesion to tooth structures. However, the use of GIC is impeded due to its low flexural strength and fracture toughness. In this paper, we developed and characterized an apatite-ionomer cement (AIC) that incorporates hydroxyapatite (HAp) into the GIC; this development was aimed at not only reinforcing the flexural and compressive strength but also improving some functional properties for the creation of the material suitable for sealant. We examined the influence of differences in the compounding conditions of GIC powder, liquid, and HAp on flexural and compressive strengths, fracture toughness, fluoride ion release property, shear bond strength to bovine enamel, surface pH of setting cements, and acid buffer capability. These methods were aimed at elucidating the reaction mechanism of porous spherical-shaped HAp (HApS) in AIC. The following observations were deduced. (1) HAp can improve the mechanical strengths of AIC by strengthening the cement matrix. (2) The functional properties of AIC, such as acid buffer capability, improved by increasing the releasing amounts of various ions including fluoride ions. The novel AIC developed in this study is a clinically effective dental material for prevention and remineralization of tooth and initial carious lesion.

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 aims of this study were to modify dental device surface with fluorine and silver and to examine the effectiveness of this new surface modification method. Stainless steel plates were modified by plasma-based fluorine and silver ion implantation-deposition method. The surface characteristics and brushing abrasion resistance were evaluated by XPS, contact angle and brushing abrasion test. XPS spectra of modified specimens showed the peaks of fluoride and silver. These peaks were detected even after brushing abrasion test. Water contact angle significantly increased due to implantation-deposition of both fluorine and silver ions. Moreover, the contact angle of the modified specimen was significantly higher than that of fluorine only deposited specimen with the same number of brushing strokes. This study indicates that this new surface modification method of fluorine and silver ion implantation-deposition improved the brushing abrasion resistance and hydrophobic property making it a potential antimicrobial device.