The effect of powder to liquid ratio on physical properties and fluoride release of glass ionomer cements containing pre-reacted spherical glass fillers

The aim was to assess the effect of powder to liquid ratio (PLR) on setting time, fluoride release, and compressive strength of conventional glass ionomer cements (GICs) containing pre-reacted spherical glass fillers (SPG). GICs were prepared by mixing SPG with Fuji IX Universal liquid using PLR of 1:1, 1.5:1, 2:1, 2.5:1, 3:1. Setting time decreased from 221 to 51 s upon rising PLR. Increasing PLR decreased cumulative fluoride release (33 to 13 ppm). Diffusion coefficient of fluoride of experimental GICs (1.6-1.8x10(-8) cm(2)/s) was comparable with that of Fuji IX Universal (1.6x10(-8) cm(2)/s). Compressive strength of PLR 2:1 to 3:1 (93-140 MPa) were comparable with that of Fuji IX Universal (124 MPa). These results demonstrated that rising powder ratio reduced setting time, fluoride release, and compressive strength of GICs. However, the setting time and strength experimental GICs with PLR greater than 2:1 were in the acceptable range of the ISO standard.