Solubility of a resin-modified glass ionomer cement

Thirty standardized discs were fabricated from a resin-modified glass ionomer cement (Vitremer -3M) using three different powder/liquid ratios. All specimens were immediately weighed. Specimens were stored in artificial saliva for thirty days. Twice each day the specimens received a 30-min. artificial caries challenge (pH 4.4) and were returned to artificial saliva. At the end of the thirty-day experimental period, the specimens were dried and weighed again. Duncan's Multiple Range Test indicated that the 145 mg powder/35 mg liquid ratio had significantly less weight loss than the 145 mg powder/105 mg liquid ratio (p < 0.05). The results appear to demonstrate that solubility decreases as the aluminosilicate glass powder increases.