Nanomodification of mineral trioxide aggregate for enhanced physiochemical properties

Saghiri MA, Asgar K, Lotfi M, Garcia‐Godoy F. Nanomodification of mineral trioxide aggregate for enhanced physiochemical properties. International Endodontic Journal., 45, 979–988, 2012. Aim To analyse the physicochemical properties of a Nano white mineral trioxide aggregate (NWMTA) and compare it with white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA). Methodology White mineral trioxide aggregate and NWMTA were prepared and mixed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Surface area of powder before hydration, setting time, X‐ray diffraction and microhardness at pH values of 4.4 and 7.4 were evaluated by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, ISO Specification no.6876, Vickers microhardness, and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy equipped with X‐ray colour (dot) map for both cements. anova and Mann–Whitney were used for statistical analysis at a significance level of 0.5. Results The mean ± SD of surface area and setting time were 1.8 ± 0.2 m2 g−1 and 43 ± 2 min for WMTA and 7.8 ± 1.2 m2 g−1 and 6 ± 1 min for NWMTA, respectively. Mean ± SD of Microhardness were 16 ± 2, 51 ± 1, 69 ± 1 and 81 ± 2 for WMTA at pH values of 4.4 and 7.4 and for NWMTA correspondingly. Numbers of open porosity over the surface were 88 ± 24 and 44 ± 13 for WMTA and NWMTA, respectively. Statistical tests revealed significant differences between the groups (P