Abstract

Background: Glass ionomer cements (GIC) have been widely used in dentistry for many years. In recent years, GIC have also been used for ossiculoplasty. The bond strength of GIC used in ossiculoplasty and the way they may change over the years in the cementation area are being questioned. The bonding strength of the substance may be of importance for long-term outcomes.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the bond strength of different GIC on ossicles.

Study Design: In vitro study.

Methods: Twenty ossicles were obtained from patients who had undergone ear surgery. All specimens were randomly divided into four subgroups. All specimens were inserted into a specially designed apparatus for shear bond strength (SBS) testing. The tested materials [Aqua Meron (AM), Aqua Cem (AC), Ketac Cem (KC), and Otomimix CPB (OH)] were prepared and applied according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The SBS was tested using a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min.

Results: The mean SBSs were found to be 13.28 MPa, 23.43 MPa, 8.51MPa, and 1.78 MPa for AM, AC, KC, and OH, respectively. AC had the highest SBS, which was statistically significantly different from that of KC and OH (p<0.05). Both AM and KC had higher SBS than OH (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The results obtained in this study by investigating the bone-bonding strength of cements widely used in ossiculoplasty demonstrate that some of these substances have a greater ability to bond to ossicles compared to others. Further clinical investigations are needed to test different parameters.