From Volume 48, Issue 8 , September Pages Articles by Petros Mylonas. Articles by Jing Zhang. Articles by Avijit Banerjee. Glass-polyalkenoate cements, also known as glass-ionomer cements GICs , are one of the most commonly used bio-interactive restorative dental materials, having been available since the s.
With the promotion of minimally invasive operative dentistry MID , and the reduction in the use of dental amalgam worldwide, the popularity of these materials has grown significantly in recent years. This article outlines the basics and clinical importance of GIC material science, and provides an overview of their use in restorative dentistry.
Glass-polyalkenoate cements, also known as glass-ionomer cements GICs , were invented in the UK by Wilson and Kent in , and commercially introduced in as ASPA alumino-silicate polyacrylic acid cements. However, by altering the polymeric acids, alkaline glasses, or by adding different components, different types of modified GICs with significantly different properties related to their proposed clinical use have been created. GICs are self-adhesive, self-curing, possess fluoride uptake and release properties, can interact with adjacent enamel and dentine resulting in exchange of ions, and exhibit cariostatic properties.
GICs are defined by the acid—base setting reaction between the polyalkenoic acid polymer and the alkaline fluoro-alumino-silicate FAS glass. The reaction is split into three overlapping stages: dissolution; gelation; and maturation Figure 1.
Clinically, the acid—base reaction begins as soon as the material is mixed. Care must be taken to ensure minimal moisture loss or contamination to prevent the loss of the ions involved in the setting reaction.
