Method: A total of thirty cylindrical specimens 6mm height and 4mm in diameter were prepared for both cements and stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 hour. Each cement type was tested using Universal Testing Machine SHIMADZU (SHIMADZU Corp, Tokyo, Japan), then the fractured surfaces of 10 randomly selected specimens for each cement type were examined using SEM to determine the amount and size of porosity present.
Results: Non-parametric Mann-Whitney Test was used to compare the compressive strength of these luting cements. There was no statistically significant difference in compression strength of Fuji CEM and Fuji PLUS CAPSULES (p=0.372). The mixing method found to be statistically significant with the porosity size of (10-50)µm and (50-100)µm diameter, however it was not significant with the porosity size of (1-10)µm in diameter (p>0.04). The mechanical mixing produced a significantly higher percentage of porosity size of (10-50)µm and (50-100)µm in diameter with (p=0.001, p=0.04 respectively). Porosity was incorporated in all samples.
Conclusion: there was no linear relationship between compressive strength and porosity size (1-100)µm in diameter for Fuji CEM and Fuji PLUS CAPSULES which were used in this study.
This study was supported by University Malaya IPPP. PS 102/2008A.