Dental cement is a type of adhesive used in dentistry to bond or hold various dental restorations such as crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays, and veneers to the teeth. It can also be used to fill cavities and as a base for permanent fillings. Dental cements come in a variety of types, each with their own specific indications and uses.
Zinc Phosphate Cement:
- Type of permanent dental cement that was first introduced in the early 1900s.
- Composed of a powder mixture of magnesium oxide and zinc oxide, and a liquid phosphoric acid.
- Known for its high compressive strength and thin film thickness when applied properly.
- Used for cementation of inlays, orthodontic appliances, crowns, and post systems.
- It has some drawbacks such as low initial pH which can increase pulpal irritation and it cannot chemically bond to the tooth itself.
- It is the standard to compare new cements to zinc phosphate.
Zinc Polycarboxylate Cement:
- Type of dental cement that was first introduced in 1968.
- The first cement to form a chemical bond to tooth structure by swapping out the phosphoric acid with polyacrylic acid.
- Reduces pulpal irritation associated with zinc phosphate cements thanks to the larger size of polyacrylic acid molecules.
- Indicated for many of the same uses as zinc phosphate and bond to most alloys (though not to gold).
- It has a short working time and high film thickness which has led to a decrease in popularity with the increased use of ceramic restorations.
Glass Ionomer Cements:
- Hybrid of silicate and polycarboxylate cements
- Excellent translucency and low film thickness
- Chemical bond to tooth structure and good seal
- Resistant to salivary contamination
- Moisture tolerant
- Low solubility & Water-based
- Bond strength is reduced when tooth surface is dry
- Low initial pH level
- Can have remineralization effect due to fluoride release
- Primarily used for metallic and porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) restorations
- Can chemically bond to stainless steel, tin-plated noble metals, and base metals
- Has seen a decline in use due to moderate retention rates similar to zinc phosphate.
Resin Cements:
- Popular option for a variety of dental restorations
- Advantages include mechanical properties, high translucency, shade selection, insolubility, high retention, and low film thickness
- Need to be paired with a bonding agent, which can come in total-etch or self-etch varieties
- Adhesion process facilitated through polymerization through light, chemicals, or a dual-cure process
- Come in light-cure, dual-cure, and self-cure varieties
- Light-cured cements are ideal for easily accessible locations and ceramic restorations with thin thickness
- Dual-cure cements are technique-sensitive but good for restorations that are not easily accessible or too thick for effective light penetration
- Self-cured cements are easier to use but have lower bond strength and are best indicated for use with metal or opaque ceramics restorations
- Concerns include postop sensitivity and cumbersome process with multiple steps and challenging cleanup.
Dentists and dental technicians can find and buy dental Cement from SOUQ DENTAL in Saudi Arabia. We will ship your order within 24 hours.