Stability constants of Ca-alkyl salicylate complexes and their effect on the dissolution of calcium hydroxide dental cements.

The proton-ligand stability constants (pKa) and Ca-ligand stability constants (log beta) of the five types of alkyl salicylate were determined and the dissolution of the calcium hydroxide cements prepared from those salicylates was examined in water. The dissolution of the cements containing monoesters decreased with the increase in their pKa and log beta values. The cement containing diester showed lower dissolution than that estimated from those values. This seems to be related to the polymeric structure of the cement matrix consisting of the complex of the diester with calcium.