A 24 year old male presents to OPD with sensitivity to cold water. On intraoral examination, 46 is carious and dentist decides to restore the teeth with amalgam restorative material with zinc polyacrylate base. All the following statements are true regarding this base, except
The compressive strength of polycarboxylate cement is approximately 55 MPa, which is lower than that of zinc phosphate cement. Polycarboxylate cements produce minimal irritation to the pulp. The larger size of the polyacrylic acid molecules compared with those of phosphoric acid limits acid penetration into the dentinal tubules, contributing to the excellent biocompatibility and lack of postoperative sensitivity of polycarboxylate cement. Zinc polycarboxylate cement has the potential to adhere chemically to the natural tooth.
Reference: Philips’ 12th ed, P: 320
Adheres chemically to the natural tooth
Biocompatible compared to zinc phosphate cement
Stronger than zinc phosphate cement
The large molecular size of polyacrylic acid molecules limits its flow into the pulp