SpeedCEM® Plus and Variolink®s
Esthetic Selecting the right cement for your restorative need
Michael DiTolla, DDS, Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Communications AEGIS Dental Network
When I attended dental school 30 years ago, cementation was a simple subject. I was taught to use one permanent cement: polycarboxylate. Fast forward to 2019, and there is a myriad of cement choices available. Even the term "cementation" has become more confusing, because we now have three classes of cements to choose from.
Conventional cementation involves filling the space between the restoration and the tooth to create "retention" via luting forces. In conventional cementation, the retention is primarily provided by the length and taper of the preparation rather than the cement.
Adhesive bonding involves a combination of etchants, primers, and adhesives to provide the bond between the restoration and the tooth. In adhesive bonding, retention is created primarily through chemical bonding between the tooth and the restoration.
The easiest strategy would be to simply choose one cement and use it for everything, and although that would certainly eliminate confusion, there is no single material that meets the needs of every clinical situation. The three most common categories of cement are conventional cements, self-adhesive cements, and adhesive cements.
Conventional cements are the simplest to use; however, they require retentive features on the preparation and a restorative material with a flexural strength of 300 MPa or higher. Examples include resin-modified glass ionomers, carboxylate, and zinc phosphate.
Self-adhesive cements still require retention from the preparation, but possess higher bond strengths than conventional cements. They can be used on high strength restorative materials. SpeedCEM® Plus from Ivoclar Vivadent is an example of a self-adhesive resin cement that is a great choice for solid zirconia restorations.
Adhesive cements have the highest bond strengths and need little retention from the preparation. This is why adhesive cements are the only choice for low-retention restorations such as veneers. Variolink® Esthetic is an example of an adhesive cement and it a great choice for lithium disilicate restorations, such as IPS e.max®.
Please join me on February 12, 2019, at 7 pm Eastern Time for my webinar, "Cementation Confusion," where I will provide an in-depth breakdown of all of the categories of cement, their indications, and the pretreatment protocols for different restorative materials.
Key Takeaways
1. SpeedCEM Plus features excellent self-cure performance that is ideal for zirconia and metal-ceramics.
2. SpeedCEM Plus facilitates an efficient process using just one component.
3. Variolink Esthetic has excellent shade stability thanks to the patented, highly reactive photo-initiator Ivocerin®.
4. Variolink Esthetic has a balanced and straightforward "Effect shade system" that offers lifelike esthetics.
Manufacturer Information
Ivoclar Vivadent Inc.
ivoclarvivadent.com
800-533-6825