Journal of Materials Science and Engineering with Advanced TechnologyAuthor's: Eric Mortier, Stephanie Jager, David Alain Gerdolle and Abdesselam Dahoun
Pages: [35] - [48]
Received Date: November 1, 2012
Submitted by:
Aim: The purpose of the study was to determine the water
sorption and solubility of three experimental flowable composite
resins (EXP1, EXP2, and EXP3), which differed only in their filler
amount (65, 55, and 45wt%, respectively) with a view to assessing the
relevance of this parameter.
Materials and methods: The ISO 4049 protocol was followed. Ten
discs (15 × 1mm) of each material were submitted to a drying cycle
at 37°C for 35 days, after which the constant mass 
and volume (V) of each were
measured. The samples were then immersed in distilled water at 37°C
for 168 hours and weighed to determine the constant mass 
A final drying cycle, identical to the
first one, allowed to record constant mass 
Water sorption and solubility were
calculated by using these measurements.
Results: EXP1, which had the highest filler amount, absorbed
significantly less than the other two materials. EXP1 was also
significantly less solubilised. EXP3, which had the lowest filler
amount, absorbed significantly more than the other two materials and
was also significantly more solubilised.
Conclusion: Within the limitations of this experimental study,
it was shown that a high filler amount, without affecting the
spreading capacity of a flowable resin composite, could reduce water
sorption and solubility.
Clinical significances: Given the clinical importance of water
sorption and solubility on the behaviour and sustainability of dental
restorations, a high filler amount could be a major criterion to be
taken into account by dentists when they are selecting flowable
composite resins.
laboratory research, flowable composite resins, water sorption, solubility, ISO 4049, filler amount.
