The Effect of Light Exposure on Water Sorption and Solubility of Self-Adhesive Resin Cements

Purpose. To investigate the effect of light activation on the water sorption (WS) and solubility (SL) of resin cements after 24 h and 7 days. Methods. Disk-shaped specimens were prepared using five dual-polymerized cements (four self-adhesive [RelyX Unicem, MaxCem, SeT and G-Cem] and one conventional [Panavia F 2.0]) and divided according to the curing mode (direct light exposure or self-cure) and water immersion period (24 h or 7 days). Specimens were dry-stored and weighed daily until a constant mass was recorded (M1). Then, specimens were stored in water for either 24 h or 7 days and immediately weighed (M2). After desiccation, specimens were weighed again until a constant mass was achieved (M3). WS and SL were calculated and statistically analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis, Dunn and Mann-Whitney U tests (α = 0.05%). Results. There was a significant increase in WS for all products after one-week immersion in water. The highest water uptake was observed for autopolymerized groups. Extended water immersion significantly affected the SL for most of autopolymerized cements. Significant differences between products were observed in both tests. Conclusions. The curing mode and the water immersion period may affect the mechanical stability of the resin cements, and these differences appear to be product-dependent.