Influence of Ultrasonic Activation on the Physicochemical Properties of Calcium Silicate-Based Cements

Purpose. To evaluate the influence of ultrasonic activation on the physicochemical properties of setting time (ST), flow (FL), dimensional change (DC), and solubility (SL) of the cements: MTA, MTA Repair HP, and Biodentine®. Materials and Methods. Two experimental groups were formed according to the cement activation protocol: without ultrasonic activation and with ultrasonic activation. Cements were manipulated according to the manufacturers’ instructions. Ultrasonic activation group was performed with an E1 insert at power 3 (24–32 kHz) for 30 s directly in the center of the cement mass. The molds for analysis of the physicochemical properties were filled out and evaluated according to specification No. 57 from ANSI/ADA. The results were analyzed using the ANOVA test (two-way), complemented by Tukey’s test (α = 0.05). The distilled water used during the solubility test was submitted to spectrometry to verify the release of calcium ions. The morphologies of the external surface and the cross-section of the samples were analyzed by means of a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results. For the ST, ultrasonic activation reduced the values of MTA, MTA Repair HP, and Biodentine (P0.05); however, it increased the flow MTA Repair HP and Biodentine (P