Anil Misra

Adhesive/Dentin Interface: The Weak Link in the Composite Restoration

Results from clinical studies suggest that more than half of the 166 million dental restorations that were placed in the United States in 2005 were replacements for failed restorations. This emphasis on replacement therapy is expected to grow as dentists use composite as opposed to dental amalgam to restore moderate to large posterior lesions. Composite restorations have higher failure rates, more recurrent caries, and increased frequency of replacement as compared to amalgam. Penetration of bacterial enzymes, oral fluids, and bacteria into the crevices between the tooth and composite undermines the restoration and leads to recurrent decay and premature failure. Under in vivo conditions the bond formed at the adhesive/dentin interface can be the first defense against these noxious, damaging substances. The intent of this article is to review structural aspects of the clinical substrate that impact bond formation at the adhesive/dentin interface; to examine physico-chemical factors that affect the integrity and durability of the adhesive/dentin interfacial bond; and to explore how these factors act synergistically with mechanical forces to undermine the composite restoration. The article will examine the various avenues that have been pursued to address these problems and it will explore how alterations in material chemistry could address the detrimental impact of physico-chemical stresses on the bond formed at the adhesive/dentin interface.

Effective elastic moduli of heterogeneous granular solids

Abstract A micro-mechanical model is employed to study the elastic stress-strain behavior of heterogeneous granular solids. The granular material is idealized as a collection of spherical particles interacting through inter-particle contacts. Based on this idealized model an equivalent continuum description of the granular solid is envisaged and the overall stiffness tensor of the granular solid is determined in terms of the stiffness of the inter-particle deformation. To facilitate the derivation of overall stiffness tensor, the granular solid is considered to be composed of continuum cells made of a single particle and the associated void space. A local stiffness tensor is defined for each cell. The local stiffness tensor is obtained in terms of the inter-particle stiffness, the number of contacts and the relative position of the neighboring particles. The local stiffness tensor is utilized to obtain the overall behavior of a representative volume of granular solid through the “self consistent” averaging technique. The overall stress and strain for the representative volume are determined as a volume average of the corresponding local quantities. To account for the heterogeneity of deformation in the granular medium, a “concentration” factor is defined for each cell. Based on the concept of volume averaging and the “concentration” tensor an overall stiffness tensor is derived for the granular solid. The applicability of the derived micro-mechanical model is evaluated by comparing its results with those obtained from the computer simulation method.

In vitro Performance of Nano-heterogeneous Dentin Adhesive

Water is ubiquitous in the mouths of healthy individuals and routinely interferes with efforts to bond restorations to dental tissues. Our previous studies using tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (TMAFM) have shown that nanophase separation is a general feature of cross-linked polymethacrylates photocured in the presence of water. To explore the relationship between nanophase separation in dentin adhesives and their long-term mechanical properties, we evaluated model adhesives after 3 months of aqueous storage. The degree of contrast in the TMAFM phase image depended on the formulations used, ranging from ‘not observable’ to ‘very strong’. Correspondingly, the mechanical properties of these model adhesives varied from ‘minimal change’ to ‘significant depreciation’. The results support the hypothesis that a high degree of heterogeneity at the nano-scale is associated with poor mechanical durability in these model adhesives.

Development of correlations for soil thermal conductivity

Abstract Soil thermal conductivity is significantly influenced by saturation and dry density. In this paper, a family of empirical correlations are presented which relate soil thermal conductivity to saturation for five soil types, namely, gravel, sand, silt, clay and peat, in both the frozen and unfrozen states. These correlations were developed from a soil thermal conductivity database which was constructed from measured data available in the literature. The effects of dry density are also examined.

The influence of chemical structure on the properties in methacrylate-based dentin adhesives

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the chemical structure of methacrylate monomers used in dentin adhesives on degree of conversion (DC), water sorption, and dynamic mechanical properties. MATERIALS AND METHODS Experimental adhesives containing 2,2-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloxypropoxy) phenyl]-propane (BisGMA), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and co-monomer, 30/45/25 (w/w) were photo-polymerized. Ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDM), diethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (DEGDM), triethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA), 1,3-glycerol dimethacrylate (GDM), and glycerol trimethacrylate (GTM) were used as a co-monomer. The adhesives were characterized with regard to DC, water sorption, and dynamic mechanical analysis and compared to control adhesive [HEMA/BisGMA, 45/55 (w/w)]. RESULTS DC and water sorption increased with an increase in the number of ethylene glycol units in the monomer. Experimental adhesive containing GDM showed significantly higher storage moduli (p<0.05) in both dry and wet samples than experimental adhesives containing EGDM or DEGDM. The rubbery moduli of adhesives containing GDM and GTM were found to be significantly greater (p<0.05) than that of the control. Adhesives containing GTM exhibited the widest tanδ curves, indicating the greatest structural heterogeneity. SIGNIFICANCE The hydrophilicity, functionality and size of monomers in dentin adhesives affected the water sorption, solubility, crosslink density and heterogeneity of the polymer network. The experimental adhesives containing GDM and GTM showed higher rubbery moduli, indicating higher crosslink density accompanied by a decrease in the homogeneity of the polymer network structure.

Properties of granular packings under low amplitude cyclic loading

Abstract The initial tangent and the secant moduli for granular materials under low amplitude cyclic loading is obtained from an analytical model considering particle interactions. The Hertz-Mindlin theory of contact of two elastic spheres are used to describe the contact displacement behavior under oscillating forces. The analytical model includes the effect of the void ratio, the coordination number, the constituent particle properties, and the structural anisotrophy. Results computed from the derived relations are compared with the experimental measurements for initial tangent and secant moduli.

Stabilization Characteristics of Clays Using Class C Fly Ash

Coal-burning utilities using subbituminous coal from Wyoming typically produce fly ash, which, because of its high calcium oxide content, may be classified as Class C fly ash. These ashes are characterized by their self-cementing property and therefore can be used for soil improvement. Stabilization characteristics of clay soils blended with Class C fly ash were evaluated. Because fly ash is a by-product, uniformity of its physical and chemical properties is significant for quality control. The statistical characteristics of fly ash physical and chemical properties are obtained and compared with the data in literature. Fly ash is blended with several different clay soils of varying plasticity to study moisture-density relationships and strength behavior of stabilized soils. It is observed that the fly ash used in these experiments has a rapid hydration characteristic. Consequently, higher densities and strengths are achieved when the compaction is performed with little or no delay after the addition of moisture to clay-fly ash blends. Conversely, delayed compaction produces low densities and strength. In addition, it is observed that the stabilization characteristics are closely related to the soil mineral type and plasticity. Results also are presented for strength gain behavior with curing period for the various soil-fly ash blends.

Water sorption and dynamic mechanical properties of dentin adhesives with a urethane-based multifunctional methacrylate monomer.

OBJECTIVES Our previous study showed the synthesis and characterization of a novel urethane-linked trimethacrylate monomer for use as a co-monomer in dentin adhesives. The objective of this work was to further investigate the performance of dentin adhesives containing a new monomer, with particular emphasis on the water sorption and viscoelastic behavior of the crosslinked networks. MATERIALS AND METHODS Dentin adhesives contained 2,2-bis[4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloxypropoxy) phenyl]-propane (BisGMA), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and a new multifunctional methacrylate with urethane-linked groups-1,1,1-tri-[4-(methacryloxyethylaminocarbonyloxy)-phenyl]ethane (MPE) and were photo-polymerized in the presence or absence of water. Adhesives were characterized with regard to degree of conversion (DC), viscosity, water sorption/solubility, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and compared with BisGMA/HEMA controls. RESULTS The experimental adhesives exhibited DC and solubility comparable to that of the control, regardless of the presence or absence of water. All the experimental adhesives tested showed less water sorption, lower tandelta peak heights, and higher rubbery modulus than the control. SIGNIFICANCE Dentin adhesives containing a new multifunctional methacrylate showed better dynamic thermomechanical properties and water sorption relative to controls, without compromising DC and solubility. Thus, MPE, when included as a component of methacrylate dentin adhesives, may provide enhanced durability in the moist environment of the mouth.

Proteins, Pathogens, and Failure at the Composite-Tooth Interface:

In the United States, composites accounted for nearly 70% of the 173.2 million composite and amalgam restorations placed in 2006 (Kingman et al., 2012), and it is likely that the use of composite will continue to increase as dentists phase out dental amalgam. This trend is not, however, without consequences. The failure rate of composite restorations is double that of amalgam (Ferracane, 2013). Composite restorations accumulate more biofilm, experience more secondary decay, and require more frequent replacement. In vivo biodegradation of the adhesive bond at the composite-tooth interface is a major contributor to the cascade of events leading to restoration failure. Binding by proteins, particularly gp340, from the salivary pellicle leads to biofilm attachment, which accelerates degradation of the interfacial bond and demineralization of the tooth by recruiting the pioneer bacterium Streptococcus mutans to the surface. Bacterial production of lactic acid lowers the pH of the oral microenvironment, erodes hydroxyapatite in enamel and dentin, and promotes hydrolysis of the adhesive. Secreted esterases further hydrolyze the adhesive polymer, exposing the soft underlying collagenous dentinal matrix and allowing further infiltration by the pathogenic biofilm. Manifold approaches are being pursued to increase the longevity of composite dental restorations based on the major contributing factors responsible for degradation. The key material and biological components and the interactions involved in the destructive processes, including recent advances in understanding the structural and molecular basis of biofilm recruitment, are described in this review. Innovative strategies to mitigate these pathogenic effects and slow deterioration are discussed.

Effect of photoinitiator system and water content on dynamic mechanical properties of a light‐cured bisGMA/HEMA dental resin

The selection of an appropriate photoinitiator system is critical for efficient polymerization of dental resins with satisfactory mechanical and physical properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of adding an iodonium salt to two-component photoinitiator systems. Four photoinitiator systems were included in a model bisGMA/HEMA resin and used to prepare samples at different water contents; the dynamic mechanical properties and the final degree of conversion of the samples were then characterized. Addition of the iodonium salt to the two-component photoinitiator systems increased the final degree of conversion, glass transition temperature, rubbery modulus, and crosslink density. The photoinitiator system containing ethyl-4-(dimethylamino) benzoate as a coinitiator and the iodonium salt exhibited the highest rubbery modulus. The enhanced properties in the presence of the iodonium salt can be attributed to the production of an active phenyl radical with regeneration of the original camphorquinone, which may increase the compatibility between monomers and initiators, especially in the presence of water. The results support the hypothesis that a photoinitiator system containing an iodonium salt can increase both mechanical properties and final conversion of model resin polymerized in the presence of water.