WATER UPTAKE OF POLYVINYL ALCOHOL FOAM, CLEANROOM MICROFIBER WIPER, ABSORBENT PAPER, COTTON PELLETS, AND GAUZE UNDER SIMULATED ORAL ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the water absorption in the dental cavity of various absorbent materials under a simulated oral environment as an alternative to rubber dam isolation. Five types of absorbent materials were tested: polyvinyl alcohol foam, absorbent paper, cotton pellets, gauze, and cleanroom microfiber wiper, with comparisons based on the actual weight gain from water absorption within a 10-second period. The results of the study revealed significant differences in water absorption among the material types at the.05 significance level. Polyvinyl alcohol foam, absorbent paper, and cotton pellets exhibited the highest water absorption with no statistically significant differences among them and performed significantly better than gauze and cleanroom microfiber wipers. When considering both the water absorption from this study and the lint-free property reported in the literature, absorbent paper and polyvinyl alcohol foam are the most appropriate alternative materials for water absorption and moisture isolation in the conditioned tooth cavity during the bonding procedure.

Keywords: Water Absorption, Moisture Control, Absorbent Materials, Absorbent Paper, Polyvinyl Alcohol Foam, Cleanroom Microfiber Wipers