Surface roughness evaluation of resin modified glass-ionomers polished utilizing poly(acrylic acid) gel

The modified and glass-polymers studied following different polishing proce dures. Specimens of conventional glass-ionomer (Fuji II(R)), resin modified glass-ionomer (Vitremer(R)) and compomer (Dyract(R)) were prepared and pol ished using either Soflex(R) or Enhance(R) discs with either aluminum oxide or poly(acrylic acid) gel as polishing agents. Surface roughness of the sp ecimens was evaluated by profilometric measurements and elecdifferences in polishability of conventional were tron microscopic examination. It was sho wn that Soflex(R) discs manifest superior polishing effect on glass-ionomer s and resin modified glass-ionomers compared to the Enhance(R) system, alth ough no significant differences were found for the compomer specimens. Addi tion of poly(acrylic acid) gel as a polishing agent reduced surface roughne ss of conventional glass-ionomer and resin modified glass-ionomer specimens and did not significantly affect the compomer specimens.