Effect Of Thermocycling On Surface Roughness Of Two Different Commercially Available Glass Ionomer Cements - An In Vitro Study

Introduction: Glass ionomer is the commonly used cement in restorative dentistry. Since our oral cavity is subjected to frequent temperature change, that's the reason why we need to study the effect of thermal aging for the surface roughness of glass ionomer cements. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of thermocycling on surface roughness of two different commercially available glass ionomer cements. Materials and Methods: Commercially available brands of Glass ionomer cements namely Shofu and D Tech were used for our study. 5 samples were prepared from each GIC. Silicone moulds were prepared with putty impression material to obtain a diameter of about 10 mm and a height of about 2.5 mm and the surface roughness was checked prior to thermocycling and after thermocycling using a stylus profilometer. Results: For shofu GIC, surface roughness values Ra, Rq and Rz prior to thermocycling was more when compared to surface roughness value after thermocycling. This difference of Ra is 0.000, Rq is 0.095 and Rz is 0.077. The Ra value alone is significant and Rz and Rq is not significant. For D tech GIC surface roughness values Ra, Rq and Rz prior to thermocycling was more when compared to surface roughness value after thermocycling.