The calcium hydroxide dimer cement

Cowan Teeter (1944) reported a new class of resinous substances based on the zinc salts of dimerized unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic and oleic acid. The latter is referred to as dimer acid. Later, Pellico (1974) described a dental composition based on the reaction between zinc oxide and either dimer or trimer acid. In an attempt to formulate calcium hydroxide cements which would be hydrolytically stable, Wilson et al. (1981) examined cement formation between calciimi hydroxide and dimer acid. They found it necessary to incorporate an accelerator, alimiiniiun acetate hydrate, Al2(OH)2(CHgCOO)4.3H2O, into the cement powder. 

These cements set in 3-5 to 56 minutes (at 37 °C). Infrared spectroscopy showed that as the cement set there was loss of acid carbonyl groups and OH groups associated with calcium hydroxide, and simultaneously formation of ionic carboxylate groups and hydrogen-bonded OH groups. 

Although these cements were capable of setting under water and were impervious to aqueous attack they were not a success. They failed to 

Andrews, J. T. Hembree, J. H. (1976). In vivo evaluation of the marginal leakage of four inlay cements. Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, 35, 532-7. 

American Dental Association. (1977). Accepted Dental Therapeutics, 36th edn., p. 235. 

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