GIC – the material of choice
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 20th August 2022
When choosing materials for use in posterior restorations it is important to consider their quality in terms of resilience. Due to enhanced dental care, patients are able to keep their natural teeth for longer, making restorative procedures more common than they once were. The material you choose for these restorations will determine the long-term survival of the treatment.[i] Even though aesthetics are of less concern in the posterior region than the anterior, good aesthetic results are still likely to be important for some patients, so should be taken into consideration. Glass ionomer cement (GIC) is a fantastic solution for both of these challenges, providing patients with a durable restoration and great aesthetic results.
Risk factors for posterior restorations
There are a number of risk factors which may impact the long-term survival of posterior restorations. These include occlusal stress, and caries. When assessing whether your patient is at risk for occlusal stress, examine their bite for areas of increased pressure, and consider whether your patient is prone to bruxism. If they are unsure whether they are experiencing bruxism, ask whether they feel pain in their teeth, gums, or jaw on awakening, or temporal headaches. If they do likely suffer from bruxism, this may put the survival of their restoration at risk for fracture and chipping, so it is important to treat this first. If you believe your patient may be at risk for caries, recommend proper brushing and interdental cleaning techniques to improve oral hygiene, and discuss the benefits of a low intake of sugary foods.[ii]
Glass ionomer cement functionality
Glass ionomer cement (GIC) is a great alternative to amalgam and composite for posterior restorations. It is durable, tough, and resistant to edge chipping – along with being affordable and easy to use. It adheres to both enamel and dentine, with no need for acid etching, and saving both time and expense.[iii] This makes the entire application process easy, predictable, and fast. GIC itself is extremely versatile. Because of its adhesive, tooth-coloured, and fluoride-releasing properties, it can be used in a variety of clinical situations as a restorative, lining, luting and sealing material, making it the restorative material with the widest range of applications.[iv]
When GIC is placed with a technique which removes caries using hand instruments, good retention rates can be achieved. Conditioning of the dentine is also not necessary for GIC restorations, as it bonds directly to the tooth without impacting retention rates.[v] Additionally, GIC and composite resin performed similarly in a systematic review[vi] in terms of marginal adaptation, marginal discolouration, and anatomical form, though GIC presented superior performance when it came to secondary carious lesions. These factors make GIC the material of choice in key clinical scenarios.
Maintaining optimal results
GIC offers patients superior aesthetic results as the material is a good colour match for natural dentition, especially when compared to materials such as amalgam – making it well suited for patients with high aesthetic demands. Because the material adheres directly to the tooth, you will be able to create fantastic results very quickly. Not only this, but simple finishing and polishing of the glass ionomer restoration will produce a highly aesthetic finish.
Glass ionomer cement is a great option for long-term restorations in stress bearing posterior teeth.i Recent research notes the durability of GIC and its bond strength to the tooth,[vii] making the need for further restoration less likely/less regular. This means less expense and time for the patient. There is also no polymerisation shrinkage and consequential cracking.iii That being said, in order to properly maintain posterior restorations, good oral hygiene should always be a priority so as to reduce the risk of developing secondary caries. It is just as important to ensure patients return for regular check-ups so as to monitor for micro cracks, as these are the main cause of secondary caries.[viii]
The Diamond Rapid Set Capsules from Kemdent are a fantastic choice for glass ionomer cement. A real alternative to posterior composites and amalgam, they are tough, durable, and resistant to edge chipping. The Diamond Rapid Set Capsules are pre-dosed for predictable results every time, and the chemical snap set makes the material moisture resistant almost instantly.iii
When your patients are in need of strong, predictable, and resilient posterior restorations, consider using glass ionomer cement as a great solution. Its resilience, low risk for cracking, and good aesthetic finish makes it an appealing choice. For those on the lookout for a material which is at low risk for the development of secondary caries, which is user friendly and inexpensive, GIC is the obvious choice.
For more information about the leading solutions available from Kemdent, please visit www.kemdent.co.uk or call 01793 770 256
Author: Alistair Mayoh, Marketing Director Kemdent
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[i] Manhart, Juergen, Franklin Garcı́a-Godoy, and Reinhard Hickel. “Direct posterior restorations: clinical results and new developments.” Dental Clinics 46.2 (2002): 303-339. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Franklin-Garcia-Godoy-2/publication/11357670_Direct_posterior_restorations_Clinical_results_and_new_developments/links/5ad5f526458515c60f55281b/Direct-posterior-restorations-Clinical-results-and-new-developments.pdf
[ii] Van de Sande, F. H., et al. “Patient risk factors’ influence on survival of posterior composites.” Journal of dental research 92.7_suppl (2013): S78-S83. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Niek-Opdam/publication/236924560_Patient_Risk_Factors%27_Influence_on_Survival_of_Posterior_Composites/links/00b4952766a67700dd000000/Patient-Risk-Factors-Influence-on-Survival-of-Posterior-Composites.pdf
[iii] Kemdent. “Diamond Rapid Set Capsules” (Date accessed: 23.06.22) https://www.kemdent.co.uk/diamond-rapid-set-capsules?osCsid=3uv7l0cosor1l6lkmk052v8e11
[iv] Sidhu, S. K. “Glass‐ionomer cement restorative materials: a sticky subject?.” Australian dental journal 56 (2011): 23-30. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1834-7819.2010.01293.x
[v] The University of York. Effective health care dental restoration: what type of filling? NHS centre for reviews and dissemination. April 1999 volume 5 number 2 issn: 0965-0288. https://www.york.ac.uk/media/crd/ehc52.pdf
[vi] Dias, Ana Giselle Aguiar, et al. “Clinical performance of glass ionomer cement and composite resin in Class II restorations in primary teeth: A systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of dentistry 73 (2018): 1-13. https://repositorio.unesp.br/bitstream/handle/11449/176180/2-s2.0-85045324295.pdf?sequence=1
[vii] Shebl, E. A., et al. “Durability of bond strength of glass-ionomers to enamel.” Tanta Dental Journal 12.1 (2015): 16-27. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1687857414000419
[viii] Feng X. [Cause of secondary caries and prevention]. Hua Xi Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2014 Apr;32(2):107-10. Chinese. doi: 10.7518/hxkq.2014.02.001. PMID: 24881200; PMCID: PMC7030805. 10.7518/hxkq.2014.02.001
