Improvements in strength and setting time of Portland cements (PC) are needed to enhance their performance as endodontic and load bearing materials. This study sought to enhance the compressive strength and setting time of a PC by adding one of the following additives: 20% and 30% poly-methylmethacrylate (PMMA), 20% and 30% irregular and spherical amalgam alloys, and 10% CaCl2. The control consisted of unreinforced PC specimens. Setting time was determined using a Gillmore apparatus according to standardized methods while compressive strength was measured using a universal testing machine after 21 hours or 60 days of water storage. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, Tukey and Games-Howell tests (α = 5%). All additives significantly decreased both initial and final setting times as compared with the PC-control (p < .05). 30% PMMA and 30% irregular alloy had the lowest values of initial setting time. 30% irregular alloy also produced the lowest values of final setting time while 30% spherical alloy yielded the highest (p < .05). No differences were detected between the compressive strength values of 21 hours and 60 days. While 10% CaCl2, 20% and 30% PMMA produced values significantly lower than the PC-control, 30% spherical alloy significantly improved the compressive strength of the reinforced PC (p < .05). In summary, all additives significantly reduced the setting time and 30% spherical amalgam alloy yielded a significant increase in compressive strength for the tested PC, which might represent an improved composition for PCs to expand their use as endodontic and potentially load bearing materials.

A liberação de monômeros residuais pode afetar o comportamento clínico e a biocompatibilidade dos materiais resinosos. O objetivo deste estudo foi detectar e quantificar os principais monômeros residuais liberados de resinas compostas, usando cromatografia líquida de alta performance (HPLC). Discos foram construídos de resinas compostas de uso odontológico (Herculite XRV, Tetric Ceram and Filtek Z250) e imersos em água deionizada a 37ºC durante 28 dias, com mudanças de água em 24 horas, 7, 14 e 21 dias. As concentrações médias dos monômeros residuais foram submetidas ao teste de Kruskal-Wallis (p<0,05). Tetric Ceram apresentou as maiores concentrações de monômeros lixiviados. Bis-GMA foi o monômero liberado em menores concentrações para todos os materiais. Não houve diferença estatística significante entre TEGDMA e UDMA. A maioria dos monômeros demonstrou máxima concentração no período de 7 dias. A análise por meio de HPLC identificou Bis-GMA, TEGDMA e UDMA em quantidades detectáveis para todas as resinas compostas testadas.

The aim of this study was to detect and quantify the main residual monomers released from composites, using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Discs were made with dental composites (Herculite XRV, Tetric Ceram and Filtek Z250) and immersed in deionized water at 37ºC for 28 days, with water changes in 1, 7, 14 and 21 days. The mean concentration of residual monomers were subject to the Kruskal-Wallis test (p<0.05). Tetric Ceram exhibited significantly higher concentrations of leached monomers. Bis-GMA was the monomer released in lower concentrations for all the materials. There was no statistical difference between the amounts of TEGDMA and UDMA. Most of the monomers demonstrated maximal concentration at the 7-day period. The HPLC analysis identified Bis-GMA, TEGDMA and UDMA in detectable quantities for all the tested composites.