Investigation of the dual setting mechanism of a novel dental cement using infrared spectroscopy

Mid-IR spectroscopy has been used to analyse the setting of a novel, ‘hybrid’ cement (ECGIC), which incorporates an ethyl cyanoacrylate into a dental glass-ionomer cement (GIC) formulation. For comparison, a conventional, commercially available GIC (Diamond Carve) and the unfilled ethyl cyanoacrylate have also been investigated. The sequence of the setting reactions in dental cements is important as these will affect the handling characteristics and the overall mechanical properties of the cements. In the spectra of ECGIC, both the acid–base reaction (of the GIC component) and the cyanoacrylate polymerisation have been identified and discussed. The spectra indicate that the cyanoacrylate polymerisation is complete after approximately 6–7 min, while the acid–base reaction is still continuing 45 min after mixing.