Evaluation of the effect of home bleaching agents on surface microhardness of different glass-ionomer cements containing hydroxyapatite

Home bleaching agents may exert some negative effects on surface hardness of restorative materials such as glass-ionomer cements (GICs). Since some studies have shown that some components such as hydroxyapatite (HA), as a bioactive glass, can improve the mechanical properties of dental materials, the effect of bleaching agents on surface hardness of GICs containing hydroxyapatite is questionable. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of home bleaching agents on the surface hardness of two different commercially available GICs containing hydroxyapatite. 80 disk-shaped specimens were made from two different GICs, including resin modified glass-ionomer and Zirconomer. Each material was divided into four groups (n=10): 1. control, 2. 20 %wt. hydroxyapatite-containing, 3. bleached and 4. bleached 20 %wt. hydroxyapatite-containing. Group 1 and 2 specimens were stored in distilled water for 2 weeks while group 3 and 4 specimens were treated with 15% carbamide peroxide in that period. Surface hardness was tested with Vickers surface hardness tester. Data were analyzed with 3-way ANOVA and mean comparison done by post hoc Tukey tests (