Microstructure-property relations in the mechanics of dental cement paste of type “Biodentine”

The biomaterial "Biodentine" exhibits very interesting mechanical porperties, with a strength exceeding those of the biological tissue "dentine".In the case of decay, replacement of the latter by the former is a clinically very interesting option.The question remains why Biodentine, being chemically very similar to ordinary Portland cement, outperforms the latter up to such a significant degree.The experiments (nanoindentation, ultrasonics, light microscopy, mechanical testing) and micromechanical models reviewed in this paper give indications towards answers to the aforementioned question.They concern the very high fineness of the cement power, with micrometerto-submicrometer particle size, the formation of calcite-reinforced hydration products, and a pronouncedly uniform loading state throughout the microstructural hydrate networks, as fingerprint of an optimized load carrying mechanism.