Properties of periodontal dressings

The physical properties of periodontal dressing materials, two chemically curing and one photocured, were examined. A modified penetrometer test showed that COEpak and PerioCare were similar in behavior, setting at 10-15 min post-mixing. Barricaid required 30 s of minimum light exposure to achieve curing. All materials absorbed water; both COEpak and PerioCare behaved similarly at 23 degrees C, but PerioCare absorbed far more water at 37 degrees C. Increased light exposure had little effect on Barricaid water sorption or solubility. There was no difference (p greater than 0.05) in the solubility of each material when immersed at 23 and 37 degrees C. When immersed in 0.9% KCl solution, Barricaid had no effect on solution conductivity or pH. COEpak and PerioCare increased conductivity slightly and the pH markedly. The adhesion of COEpak to a single tooth at one h was about 7 kg, but this decreased to about 6.5 kg at 24 h and to 5 kg at seven d. The adhesion of PerioCare was 2 kg at one h and 8.5 kg at 24 h, but it decreased to 7.5 kg at seven d. The adhesion of Barricaid was about 5 kg at one h, but it decreased to 3.5 kg at 24 h and to ca. 1.5 kg at seven d. The adhesion of Barricaid appears to involve mechanical locking and differs from that of COEpak and PerioCare.