Dental Cements
Types of dental cements and their clinical applications.
Dental cements serve multiple functions in dentistry including luting (cementing) indirect restorations, as base and liner materials, and as temporary restorations. The choice of cement depends on the restoration material, required bond strength, and whether retrievability is desired. Each type offers different properties in terms of strength, solubility, and film thickness. Resin cements provide the strongest bonds and are essential for all-ceramic restorations, veneers, and fiber posts. They come in self-etch, self-adhesive, and total-etch formulations. Glass ionomer cements offer the advantage of fluoride release and chemical bonding to tooth structure. Zinc phosphate cement has been used for over a century and provides reliable results for metal and PFM crowns. Temporary cements like zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE) allow easy removal of provisional restorations. Resin-modified glass ionomer cements combine the fluoride release of glass ionomer with improved strength and adhesion. Self-adhesive resin cements have simplified cementation procedures by eliminating the need for separate etching and bonding steps. Proper cement selection is critical for the long-term success of indirect dental restorations.