Change in pH during setting of polyelectrolyte dental cements

The change in pH during setting has been studied for five different glass polyalkenoate (ionomer) cements and for two different zinc polycarboxylate cements using a flat-headed combination electrode on both the fresh cement and on a slurry of the set cement. The results show that the pH of the glass ionomers was slightly lower in the early stages of setting than was the pH of the zinc polycarboxylates and also that the pH of glass ionomers rises more slowly. For anhydrous cements (i.e. those formulated from dried polymer) pH was found to rise quicker than for hydrous cements (i.e. those prepared from aqueous solutions of polymer). Previous workers have assumed that anhydrous cements undergo slower rises in pH than hydrous ones. Our results clearly refute this assumption, and also suggest that the reported pulpal irritation associated with the use of anhydrous glass ionomers may be due to something other than low pH.