AN IN-VITRO STUDY OF THE PHYSICO-MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF A NEW ESTHETIC RESTORATIVE versus DENTAL AMALGAM

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the compressive strength (CS), diametraltensile strength (DTS), surface hardness (SH), and surface roughness (SR) of a ceramic-reinforcedglass ionomer in comparison to a high-copper dental amalgam. The microstructure was alsoexamined. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A ceramic-reinforced glass ionomer (AmalgomerCR), and a spherical high-copper dental amalgam (GS.80) were used in this study. Specimens werefabricated from the tested materials according to the instructions of each manufacturer. The CS,DTS, SH, and SR were measured after storing the specimens for 1 day and 1 week in water at 37oC. Independent-samples t-test and paired–samples t-test were used to determine which specimengroups were significantly different for each test. One representative specimen of each materialwas prepared and examined for microstructure using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).RESULTS: At 1 day, ceramic-reinforced glass ionomer exhibited significantly-higher CS and DTS,lower SR. At 1 week, it exhibited significantly-higher CS and lower SR. The results of SH were notsignificantly different between the tested materials at both storage periods. CONCLUSION: Thephysico-mechanical properties of the tooth-colored ceramic-reinforced glass ionomer were soclose and sometimes significantly superior to dental amalgam.