Effect of tricalcium silicate (Ca3SiO5) bioactive material on reducing enamel demineralization: An in vitro pH-cycling study

Objectives m of this study was to investigate the effect of Ca3SiO5 on reducing enamel demineralization under pH-cycling conditions. s bovine enamel samples were treated under four conditions: group 1, double distilled water (negative control); group 2, 1000 ppm F (as NaF, positive control); group 3, Ca3SiO5 slurry; and group 4, Ca3SiO5–F slurry (Ca3SiO5 with 1000 ppm F aq.). All the specimens were treated with treatment materials 4 times each day. Samples in groups 1 and 2 were soaked in test solutions for 2 min and samples in groups 3 and 4 were painted in treatment slurry for 2 min. At times between treatments, they were immersed in citric acid solution 3 times a day and 15 s each time. All the procedures were repeated for 7 days. Knoop microhardness, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atom force microscopy (AFM) were used to examine samples. s treatment for 7 days, enamels in all the groups were significantly softened. The extents of microhardness reduction were 52.3%, 28.5%, 28.5% and 20.2% for groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Samples in the negative control group showed a typical acid etched pattern while enamels in other groups were relatively compact. There was no significant difference between samples treated with Ca3SiO5 and F. The combination of Ca3SiO5 with F showed the best effect on reducing enamel demineralization. sions 5 is an effective material against enamel demineralization alone but in combination with F a better anti-demineralization effect may be obtained.