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Extractable free monomers from self-cured dental sealants resulting from dispensing errors
V M Vaubert1, P C Moon, B J Love
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Center for Adhesive and Sealant Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, USA.
Journal of Biomedical Materials Research
|February 24, 1999
Summary
Improper mixing of dental sealants increases the release of potentially harmful monomers like bis-glycidyl methacrylate. Maintaining correct sealant stoichiometry is crucial for patient safety and minimizing monomer exposure.
Area of Science:
- Dental Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Dental sealants are critical for preventing caries.
- Non-ideal mixing during clinical application can occur.
- Concerns exist regarding the endocrine-disrupting potential of leachable dental monomers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the extractable sealant content from deliberately mismixed dental materials.
- To assess the impact of varying catalyst-to-base ratios on monomer leaching.
- To evaluate the clinical relevance of improper sealant processing.
Main Methods:
- High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to analyze extractable sealant components.
- Commercially available self-curing dental sealants were intentionally mixed at non-recommended stoichiometries (2/1 to 1/2).
- Samples were immersed in an ethanol/water solution to extract residual monomers.
Main Results:
- Mismixing significantly increased the extractable content of bis-glycidyl methacrylate compared to the control (1:1 mix).
- The extractable fraction of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate also increased with non-ideal stoichiometry.
- Deviations from the manufacturer's recommended 1:1 mixing ratio led to higher monomer release.
Conclusions:
- Proper stoichiometry in dental sealant application is essential to minimize monomer leaching.
- Non-ideal clinical mixing practices may increase patient exposure to potentially harmful bis-glycidyl methacrylate and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate.
- Adherence to recommended mixing ratios is vital for sealant efficacy and safety.