This paper describes the current uses and future prospects for glass-ionomer cements in dentistry and medicine. Glass-ionomers divide into two chemical types, one is known as self-hardening and sets entirely by a neutralization reaction to give relatively brittle materials, the other is known as resin-modified and sets partly by polymerization and partly by neutralization to give slightly tougher materials. Compared with the self-hardening cements, these latter materials have improved aesthetics and easier clinical handling. Both types bond well to enamel and dentine, and release clinically useful amounts of fluoride. They have been used in a variety of applications in dentistry, including as liners/bases, luting cements for stainless steel crowns, and in various restorative procedures for both permanent and primary teeth. The resin-modified glass-ionomers are particularly promising for these latter uses, though it is too soon to be sure how durable they will prove to be over the longer term. Self-hardened glass-ionomers have been shown to have much better biocompati-bility than resin-modified glass-ionomers in a variety of situations and consequently they have been used for various non-dental applications, such as ear, nose and throat surgery and craniofacial reconstruction.
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