Release of fluoride from glass fiber-reinforced composite with multiphase polymer matrix

This study investigated the suitability of a fluoride containing monomer re sin system for use as a copolymer of dental fiber-reinforced composite (FRC ) materials. The purpose of the study was to measure the release of fluorid e from the test materials. The monomer resin system was either light-polyme rized, or light-polymerized and post-cured with heat at 130 degreesC. The r elease of fluoride from FRC test specimens during 30 day storage periods wa s compared to the release of fluoride from unreinforced test specimens (n = 5). The fluoride release into distilled water was determined with an ionan alyzator. During the first week of water storage, the fluoride release was 0.31 wt % for the unreinforced specimens and 0.13 wt % for reinforced speci mens. The post-curing had no influence on the fluoride release values. The results of this study suggest that fiber inclusion reduces fluoride release of reinforced specimens compared to unreinforced specimens because the amo unt of polymer was smaller in reinforced specimens. The results of this stu dy showed that the fluoride containing monomer system could be incorporated into the polymer matrix of fiber-reinforced composites. (C) 2001 Kluwer Ac ademic Publishers.