Adhesion of polycarboxylate cements to dental casting alloys.

The adhesive strengths of four commercial polycarboxylate cements to five dental casting alloys were compared with the strength of a conventional zinc phosphate cement. The following results were obtained. (1) The polycarboxylate cements showed adhesion that was four to 12 times greater than that of the zinc phosphate cement to all alloys tested. (2) The adhesive strength of the polycarboxylate cements was greater to the chemically active substitute alloys, such as the copper, nickel-chromium, and silver-tin-zinc alloys. The adhesion of the polycarboxylate cements to the chemically stable gold and silver-palladium alloys was not as great, but was four to six times that of the zinc phosphate cement. (3) The difference in adhesive strength between the brands of polycarboxylate cement was generally slight or statistically insignificant.