Surface hardness of CEM cement and cold ceramic cement across different pH settings

Objective: This study aimed to assess the surface microhardness of calcium-enriched mixture cement (CEM) and cold ceramic (CC) cement after being cured in environments with different pH values.Methods: Sixty maxillary canines were obtained. Their roots were cut below the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to create root dentin blocks with a height of ۳ mm. The internal space of the canal was then prepared with a Peeso reamer. The specimens were filled with either CEM (Group ۱) or CC (Group ۲) cement (n=۳۰). The groups were further divided into three subgroups (n=۱۰), each was wrapped in gauze soaked in one of the following solutions: A) distilled water (pH=۷.۴), B) buffered butyric acid (pH=۴.۴), or C) potassium hydroxide (pH=۱۰.۴). The samples were incubated at ۳۷°C for one week. Afterwards, the Vickers surface microhardness of specimens was measured and compared between groups and subgroups using a two-way ANOVA (α=۰.۰۵).Results: The microhardness values of both cements showed significant differences depending on the environmental conditions (P<۰.۰۵). The highest microhardness was observed in the alkaline environment, with CC cement measuring ۶۰.۳۲ ± ۳.۱۶ and CEM cement measuring ۵۳.۵۷ ± ۲.۰۹. The microhardness of both materials reduced significantly in the acidic environment (P<۰.۰۵). CC cement demonstrated significantly higher surface microhardness than CEM cement in neutral and alkaline environments (P=۰.۰۰۱ for both), but the two groups showed comparable microhardness in the acidic environment (P=۰.۵۱).Conclusions: CC cement showed greater microhardness than CEM cement in neutral and alkaline environments. Both cements exhibit reduced hardness in the acidic condition.

کلیدواژه ها:

Bioceramics ، Calcium-enriched Mixture ، Calcium Silicates ، Cold ceramic ، dental cement ، Hardness test