Polyalkenoate cements polycarboxylate cement

The most common poly(alkenoic acid) used in polyalkenoate, ionomer or polycarboxylate cements is poly(acrylic acid), PAA. In addition, copolymers of acrylic acid with other alkenoic acids - maleic and itaconic and 3-butene 1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid - may be employed (Crisp Wilson, 1974c, 1977 Crisp et al, 1980). These polyacids are prepared by free-radical polymerization in aqueous solution using ammonium persulphate as the initiator and propan-2-ol (isopropyl alcohol) as the chain transfer agent (Smith, 1969). The concentration of poly(alkenoic add) is kept below 25 % to avoid the danger of explosion. After polymerization the solution is concentrated to 40-50 % for use. 

The poly(alkenoic acid)s used in glass polyalkenoate cement are generally similar to those used in zinc polycarboxylate cements. They are homopolymers of acrylic acid and its copolymers with itaconic add, maleic add and other monomers e.g. 3-butene 1,2,3-tricarboxylic add. They have already been described in Section 5.3. The poly(acrylic add) is not always contained in the liquid. Sometimes the dry add is blended with glass powder and the cement is activated by mixing with water or an aqueous solution of tartaric add (McLean, Wilson Prosser, 1984 Prosser et al., 1984). 

The glass polyalkenoate cement uniquely combines translucency with the ability to bond to untreated tooth material and bone. Indeed, the only other cement to possess translucency is the dental silicate cement, while the zinc polycarboxylate cement is the only other adhesive cement. It is also an agent for the sustained release of fluoride. For these reasons the glass polyalkenoate cement has many applications in dentistry as well as being a candidate bone cement. Its translucency makes it a favoured material both for the restoration of front teeth and to cement translucent porcelain teeth and veneers. Its adhesive quality reduces and sometimes eliminates the need for the use of the dental drill. The release of fluoride from this cement protects neighbouring tooth material from the ravages of dental decay. New clinical techniques have been devised to exploit the unique characteristics of the material (McLean Wilson, 1977a,b,c Wilson McLean, 1988 Mount, 1990). 

Compressive strengths of these cements were found by Bertenshaw et al. (1979) to range from 20 to 50 MPa and tensile strengths from 5 to 9 MPa. These values are inferior to those of the conventional glass polyalkenoate cements but similar to those of the zinc polycarboxylate cements. They are reported to have a good translucency and have a low solubility in water. These materials do not appear to be manufactured commercially. 

These are mainly polymeric cements formed by bonding of polyions (or macroions)which are anions with small cations called counterions. Good examples are polycarboxylate cements [9], glass-ionomer cement [10], and polyphosphonic cements [11,12]. Zinc polycarboxylate, glass polyalkenoate, and resin glass polyalkenoate are some examples... 

J.W. Nicholson, Studies in the setting of polyelectrolyte materials. Part 3 effect sodium salts on the setting and properties of glass polyalkenoate and zinc polycarboxylate dental cements, J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Med. 6 (1995) 404 08. 

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