Cementation Clarification
The Roundtable video series is a forum for discussion and debate on key topics, trends, and techniques in dentistry. For each edition, Inside Dentistry's editor-in-chief, Robert C. Margeas, DDS, and a panel of experts examine a subject to help expand your knowledge and improve your practice. This month, our panel addresses cementation and explores how material advances, clinician choices, and protocols are impacting the longevity of restorations.
The conversation begins with a discussion about what's involved in the decision to bond or cement indirect restorations. Gary Alex, DMD, explains that "there are certain advantages and disadvantages to bonding a restoration versus conventionally cementing a restoration, and there are specific indications for both of those depending on the clinical situation." Some of the indications that factor into Alex's decision include the type of restoration, the chemical nature of the material being placed, the retention provided by the preparation, and the occlusal clearance.
Next, the conversation turns to calcium silicate cements, and Todd Snyder, DDS, notes that he has found these bioactive materials to be phenomenal and that the research he's seen has been amazing regarding what they can do to help fight off decay, maintain an alkaline environment, and self-seal.
The discussion then moves to exploring how clinicians can optimize the bond to zirconia. Marcos Vargas, BDS, DDS, MS, acknowledges that some practitioners still believe that you cannot bond to zirconia. However, he emphasizes that there are 10-year studies demonstrating bonding success and that there is a strict protocol that should be followed.
Finally, the panel deliberates about whether or not universal adhesives are good enough to be the only adhesives used in a practice, and the conversation ends with a discussion about whether silane-containing adhesives or primers are better than silane alone for priming glass ceramics.
Watch the full video on AEGIS TV at aegistv.com.
What You'll Learn
When to bond indirect restorations versus when to cement
Methods to optimize bond strength to zirconia
Material advances in adhesives
Meet the Panel
Gary Alex, DMD, is an accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and a member of the International Association of Dental Research. He maintains a private practice in Huntington, New York.
Todd Snyder, DDS, is an accredited fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and owns private practices in Laguna Niguel, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada.
Marcos Vargas, BDS, DDS, MS, is a professor in the Department of Family Dentistry at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in Iowa City, Iowa.
