Purpose: To measure, over time, the release of fluoride from a resin-modified glass-ionomer cement, loaded with different levels of fluoride, then to evaluate the adjacent dentin demineralization inhibition relative to these fluoride levels.
Materials and methods: (Phase I) 25 standardized discs were fabricated from a non-fluoridated resin-based composite (control), resin-modified glass-ionomer cement and resin-modified glass-ionomer cement loaded with sodium fluoride at 1%, 2% and 3% by weight fluoride. Fluoride release was evaluated over 30 days. (Phase II) 50 restorations, from the materials listed in Phase I, were placed as Class V restorations in teeth, the teeth were acid-challenged, then dentin margins adjacent to restoration margins were evaluated for demineralization.
Results: As sodium fluoride additions increased, fluoride release increased. Evaluation of demineralization indicated the resin-modified glass-ionomer cement inhibited adjacent demineralization in a direct relationship with sodium fluoride concentration where 3% fluoride exhibited significantly less adjacent demineralization than all other groups; 2% and 1% fluoride exhibited significantly less adjacent demineralization than the non-loaded resin-modified glass-ionomer cement and non-fluoridated resin-based composite control (P< 0.05).