Effect of Incorporating Date Seeds Microparticles on Compressive Strength and Microhardness of Conventional Glass Ionomer (an In VitroStudy).

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporating date seeds (DS) microparticles on the compressive strength and microhardness of conventional glass ionomer cement properties following aging in artificial saliva.

Material and methods: Date seeds powder was prepared and added to the conventional glass ionomer cement at concentrations of 3% and 5% by weight. To prepare the samples, a silicon mold was utilized, with dimensions of 6 mm in height and 4 mm in diameter. These samples were then divided into three main groups: group I; unmodified GICs serving as the control, group II; GICs with a 3% weight of DS, and group III; GICs with a 5% weight of DS. The compressive strength and microhardness of the samples were subsequently measured and compared across the three groups, after being stored in artificial saliva for two different time intervals: one day and 30 days. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was conducted to determine the nature of the DS and the GIC-DS composite. At the same time, a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was employed to investigate the surface characteristics of the samples.

Results: The measurement values after 24 hours showed that the DS addition had significantly increased the compressive strength but had no effect on the microhardness. However, after aging there was a significant increase in the microhardness and a significant decrease in the compressive strength of the DS groups compared to the control group.

Conclusions: The addition of date seeds powder showed an enhancing effect on the microhardness over time but adversely affected the compressive strength of the material. Key words:Artificial saliva, natural resources, waste materials, dental restoration, mechanical properties.