Long lasting dental restorations with glassionomer cements = Ricostruzioni dentarie a lungo termine con cementi vetroionomerici

Objectives. The aim of this study is to resume characteristics and indications of glassionomer cements and to evaluate their clinical efficacy in restorative dentistry. Materials and methods. Glassoionomer cements are being marketed as dental materials since the Seventies. They have been used for many years as restorative materials, fixing cements or temporary fillings. A group of patients was selected among those requiring fillings of any Black's classes. Both vital and non-vital teeth were included in this study, except temporary pre-endodontic restorations and applications of glassionomer cement as pulp protection for sandwich technique. The patients were administered a questionnaire to detect any problem caused by the restorative material such as sensitivity, pain on chewing or material intolerance. Results and conclusions. In June 2009 125 patients were enrolled for a total of 184 restorations. The mean follow-up was 6,9 months, ranging from 2,1 to 17,9 months. During the study 4 restorations were lost, broken or seriously altered; this is equal to a survival rate of 99,5% at 3 months, 98,4% at 6 months, 97,9% at 12 months and 97,9% at 18 months. These results suggest that a system based on a high-viscosity glassionomer cement and an acrylic light-cured coating seems to be a reliable restorative technique in the middle-term.