An in vitro assessment of novel glass ionomer cements containing succinic anhydride-modified polyvinyl alcohol polymer (PVA-SA) and bioactive compounds

OBJECTIVES: To develop and investigate the physicomechanical properties of innovative conventional glass-ionomer and resin-modified glass-ionomer cements (CGIC and RMGIC) containing Succinic Anhydride-Modified Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA-SA) polymer and bioactive compounds. METHODS: The new cements were formulated by adding 5 wt% bioactive glass (BAG), 5 % and10 wt% β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) to the powder component of CGIC (Fuji IX) and RMGIC (Fuji II LC), along with 10 wt% PVA-SA in their liquid phase. Evaluations included Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), compressive strength and modulus (CS & CM), microhardness (MH), biaxial flexural strength (BFS), fluid uptake, and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The statistical analysis was determined using ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post-hoc tests. RESULTS: The PVA-SA-containing formulations displayed a more consistent FT-IR peak profile, suggesting effective interactions between components. The conventional GIC formulations exhibited increases of up to 11 %, 15 %, 21 %, and 23 % in the CS, CM, MH, and BFS, respectively. In contrast, the RMGIC showed enhancements of 16-27 % in these properties compared to their original cements (p < 0.05). The β-TCP-PVA-SA increased the hydration percentage of the CGIC to nearly 30 %, while it reached 120 % in the BAG-PVA-SA-containing cement. In contrast, the modified RMGIC exhibited a reduction of 20-60 %. A dense and smooth microstructure was observed in the PVA-SA-containing cements, along with irregularly shaped mineral-like deposits distributed across the surfaces of both GICs. SIGNIFICANCE: These novel GICs, with improved mechanical properties could enhance the clinical outcomes and restoration durability. Future clinical trials are required to investigate their practical applications in dentistry.