Acid-Base Reaction Cements:

GLASS-IONOMER
CEMENT
 Glass-Ionomer Cement
The word glass-ionomer is a generic name
derived from material’s composition

The powder is ion-leachable glass (Calcium-

flouro-alumino-silicate) that is able to react
with ionomeric acid containing carboxyl groups
(e.g. Poly acrylic acid)

Sometimes the name Polyalkenoic cement is

used
 General Applications

Final cementation
Cavity base and liner
Esthetic Filling material
(in eroded cervical lesions)
Bonding agent
Fissure sealer
Endodontic sealer
Filling of deciduous teeth
Amalgam Bonding
Cementation of orthodontic brackets
 Classification of G.I. cements

A. According to the use

Type I: Luting material (P.size < 15 m)
Type II: Esthetic Filling material (P.size =20-50 m)
Type III: Cavity base and liner

B. According to The curing mechanism

Chemical-cured: Cement sets via acid-base reaction
Dual-cured: Cement sets via both polymerization and
acid-base reactions
Triple-cured: Cement sets via chemically-activated
polymerization, light-activated polymerization and
acid-base reactions
 Classification of G.I. cements

C. According to the modification

Conventional GI: No modification -- Sets via acid-base
reaction
Metal-modified: Ketac silver and Cermet--Sets via
acid-base reaction
Resin-modified:-- Either dual or triple-cured
 Presentation forms
1. Powder-liquid
- To be mixed using plastic spatula over paper pad
2. Water-settable powder
- Dry powder of PAA copolymer is blended with cement
powder in the same bottle.
- The material is mixed with regular water
3. Capsules
- Both cement powder and liquid are contained in the
same capsule and separated from each other by a
diaphragm
4. Two-paste system
- Recently introduced as a cement (luting material)
material.
- Equal lengths to be mixed over a paper pad
 Conventional G.I. cements

Composition
Powder:
1. Calcium-fluoro-alumino-silicate glass particles
- All compositional ingredients (CaF2, Al2o3, Sio2, NaF,
AlPo4) are fused together at 1100-1500oC ingot
then grind into the desired particle size

2. Radio-opaque glass particles in which barium or

strontium replaces the calcium
 Conventional G.I. cements

Composition
Liquid:
1. Aqueous solution of Poly-alkenoic acid
- PAA or its copolymer with maleic or itaconic acid
- Sometimes the acid may present in the dry powder
form to be blended with cement powder in case of
water-settable material

2. Tartaric acid
To viscosity of PAA and to the setting time
 Conventional G.I. cements

Setting reaction
Chemical reaction of acid-base type

H+ from the acid attacks the aluminum sites

Decomposition of the surface of glass particles
Release of Ca++ and Al+++ ions into the aqueous medium
the Ca++ and Al+++ cross-link the poly acrylate chains
by forming poly-acid sol (initial setting)
the sol transfers into poly-acid gel forming cement
matrix (hardness and strength)
surface of the un-reacted glass particles is coated
with a layer of silica gel
Conventional G.I. cements

Setting reaction
The set material is composed of;

Non-reacted powder coated with silica gel

in an amorphous matrix of hydrated poly-
acid salts (gel (Calcium and aluminium
poly-acid gel)
Water is a component of the set material.
The loosely bonded water could
evaporate out of the material
desiccation and contraction
Fluoride ions remain free, and released
only when the material becomes wet
 Conventional G.I. cements

Manipulation
1. Mixing
• Mixing is achieved over a paper pad using plastic
spatula
• Stainless steel spatula is contraindicated to avoid the
contamination of mix by the abraded metal particles
• Large amount of powder is incorporated into the
liquid at once
• Thin mix cementation
• Thick mix filling or cavity base

2. Tooth should be cleaned or even conditioned by PAA

before cement application
 Conventional G.I. cements

Manipulation (Cont.d)
3. Restorative material
• Should be inserted as one bulk into the cavity
• The excess is removed after partial setting using
sharp hand instrument
• The material left to set in 24 hrs and then finished

4. Surfaces of fillings or margins of cement should be

protected from saliva by applying varnish or resin
coating

5. Recoating is strongly recommended after finishing

and polishing
 Characters of conventional G.I.
cements
1. Biological properties
• Freshly-mixed cement may cause mild or moderate
pulp irritation, accordingly deep cavities should be lined
with calcium hydroxide
• The material provides chemical bonding to both tooth
structure and restoration surfaces --> the rate of
microleakage
• The fluoride release --> help in the rate of caries
recurrence

2. Interfacial properties
The material is chemically-bond to the apatite part of
the tooth, base metal alloys and tin-plated gold alloys
 Characters of conventional G.I.
cements
3. Chemical properties
• The set G.I. cement is more resistant to solubility in
oral fluids than other cements based on the acid-base
reaction
• However, fresh cement is easily soluble in saliva and
the material should be protected either with resin or
varnish coating

4. Mechanical properties
The cement is stronger on compression than other
zinc-oxide based cements
However, the set material is brittle having low DTS
and fracture toughness
 Characters of conventional G.I.
cements

5. Esthetic properties
• The set G.I. cement is translucent and could be used
to cement ceramic restorations

6. Thermal properties
The cement has low thermal diffusivity and could be
used as cavity base under amalgam restorations

7. Practicability
The cement is easily mixed on paper pads using only
non-metallic spatulas
 Characters of conventional G.I.
cements
7. Practicability (Cont.d)
Cleaning and conditioning of tooth surfaces together
with using the freshly-mixed material all improve the
bond
The material could be used as a liner under composite
restorations (Sandwich technique)
Restorative material should be applied as one piece
while filling tooth cavities (bulk filling technique) as the
increments do not cohere together
Resin or varnish coating is required to protect the
setting material
Careful and delayed (after 24 hrs) finishing should
followed with resin or varnish coating
 Metal-Modified
Glass-Ionomer Cements

Inclusion of metal particles within the

composition or the structure of cement’s
powder
 1. Ketac Silver
Cement powder is a simple blend of regular glass and
amalgam particles
The blend is reacted with regular cement liquid (PAA)
The mixed material sets via acid-base reaction
typically as that of the conventional glass-ionomer

Characters of the modified material

- Shows a little bit higher strength than
that of Conventional G.I.
- Shows an increased rate of solubility
- Become opaque with gray metallic
color
- Used to fill the primary molars
 2. Cermet
A small amount of silver is fused with cement’s glass
particles at the time of manufacturing
The resulted particles react with regular cement
liquid (PAA) and the mixture also sets via acid-base
reaction typically as that of the conventional glass-
ionomer

Characters of the modified material

- Shows higher strength and better resistance to
wearing than the conventional G.I.
- The material is also opaque having gray metallic color
- Used for core build-up and as posterior filling in
selected cases
Dual-cured Cements:
Resin-Modified
Glass-Ionomer Cements
(RMGI)
Inclusion of resin monomer to form (after its
polymerization) a protective matrix in which the
regular cement setting takes place

The resultant material owns a dual mechanism of

setting that includes both polymerization and
acid-base reactions
 Composition of RMGI
A. Powder
Alumino-silicate glass particles
Polymerization initiator
Chemical initiator (Benzoyl peroxide) in case of
chemically-activated polymerization
Photo-initiator (Camphroquinon) in case of light-
activated polymerization
Both in case of triple-cured materilas

A. Liquid
Aqueous solution of Poly-alkenoic acid
Poly-acrylic acid having some carboxylic groups
modified with methacrylate or HEMA monomer
 Setting of RMGI
The initial and rapid setting of the material is
provided through polymerization of resin monomer

Slow acid-base reaction also takes place within the

cured resin matrix. This reaction is responsible for
maturing process and the final strength

The water content is too little to complicate the

polymerizaton, however its presence is essential for
the acid-base reaction.
 Characters of RMGI
The modification provides material having

Higher strength and fracture toughness than that of

conventional G.I.

Lower solubility of the freshly-set material

Possibility for immediate finishing and polishing

No need for resin or varnish coating

Lower rate of fluoride release

 Applications of RMGI
Esthetic filling materials in non-stress bearing areas,
cervical erosions

Fissure sealant

cavity base and liner

Bonding agent

Core building-up material

Cement for ceramic restoration

 Continuum of Esthetic Restoratives

Composite Compomer Giomer RMGI GI

 CEMENTS SET BY
POLYMERIZATION REACTION

A. Resin composite cement

B. Resin compomer cement

Note.
Composite = Resin matrix + inorganic fillers +
coupling agent + polymerization initiator
Compomer = polyacid-modified composite resin
 A. RESIN COMPOSITE CEMENTS

Firstly developed in the early 1970s to be used with

adhesive/ resin bonded bridges

They are less heavily-filled composites (filler load = 65%)

These materials set via polymerization reaction

Present materials can be classified according to its mode

of polymerization into chemical-cured, light-cured, and
dual-cured
 RESIN COMPOSITE CEMENTS

A. Chemically-cured composite cement

Many types contain on 4-META (4-methacryloxy ethyl

trimellitic anhydride), that provides good bonding to
several metal alloys

Used for;
1. Cementation of resin-bonded bridges
2. Cementation of any metal restoration (inlay, onlay, crown)
3. Placement of bonded amalgam restoration
 RESIN COMPOSITE CEMENTS

B. Visible light-cured composite cement

VLC materials utilize a polymerization system

similar to that of VLC composites
These materials are available in different shades to
help in production of good esthetics
Some manufacturers provide a try-in pastes have
the same color shade of actual cement (water-
soluble paste used during try-in stage)

Used for luting ceramic veneer

 Labial gingiva

Palatal surface
Resin composite
cement

Labial veneer

Cementing ceramic veneers

 RESIN COMPOSITE CEMENTS

C. Dual-cured composite cement

Dual-cured materials could be polymerized by both

light or chemical activation (i.e. polymerized even if
they do not receive sufficient light)
Usually supplied as two-paste system, one of them
are used to determine the shade

Used for luting composite and ceramic inlays, endodontic

posts, and ceramic crowns
 RESIN COMPOSITE CEMENTS
ADVANTAGES:
Low solubility in oral fluids (resin-based material)
Good strength properties (presence of fillers)
Low film thickness (low filler loading)
Good esthetics (color shade and color stability)

DISADVANTAGES:
Poor wear resistance than regular composites
Require the use of bonding agent
Material’s polymerization could be affected in presence of
moisture or oxygen …… the exposed cement margins
should be coated with air-inhibition gel
 B. RESIN COMPOMER CEMENTS
A kind of resin-based cement, used to cement
cast and metal-ceramic restorations

COMPOSITION:

Powder:
Alumino-fluoro-silicate glass, sodium fluoride, self
and/or light-cured initiator

Liquid:
Methacrylate-carboxylic acid monomer, diacrylic
monomer, water
 RESIN COMPOMER CEMENTS
ADVANTAGES:

Provide chemical bonding to tooth structure….. through

the present carboxylic acid groups of the monomer

Fluoride release help in inhibition of recurrent caries

High compressive and flexure strengths = composite

cement

Higher fracture toughness > glass-Ionomer cement

Self-etching self-adhesive resin cements

All types of resin cements require etching,

application of bonding agent to the surfaces (tooth &
restoration) to be cemented
These new kind of resin-based cements contain
phosphate-based monomer that have the ability to
etch and chemically bond to tooth structure