Indications for use:

• filling of classes III and V caries cavities and root surface caries in permanent teeth;

• filling of class I caries cavities in permanent teeth if it is not in zone of occlusal contact;

• filling of classes I-V caries cavities in deciduous teeth;

• ART-method of treatment of caries in deciduous teeth;

• isolating liners in deciduous and permanent teeth;

• base of composite restorations (“sandwich”-technique)

• filling of non-carious defects of hard dental tissues;

• long lasting temporary filling of permanent teeth.

Types of glassionomer cements (J. McLean, 1988):

I type – fixing;

II type – restorative: «Ketak Molar» («3M ESPE», USA-Germany); «Chemfil Superior», «Chem Flex» («DentSply», Switzerland); «Fuji II», «Fuji IX» («GC», Japan); «Ionofil» («VOCO», Germany);

III type – lining for isolating liners;

IV type – root canal sealers.

According to form of issue and mechanism of hardening glassionomer cements are divided into:

1. Classic glassionomer cements with acid-base mechanism of hardening (powder - fluoride-alumino-silicate glass, liquid - polyacrylic acids);

2. Dual-component aqua-cements with acid-base mechanism of hardening (powder - fluoride-alumino-silicate glass and lyophilized polyacrylic acids, liquid - distilled water);

3. Hybrid glassionomer cements with dual mechanism of hardening (acid-base reaction of glassionomers and light-curing of methacrylates) – contains methacrylates in liquid;

4. Hybrid glassionomer cements with triple mechanism of hardening (acid-base reaction of glassionomers and light-curing and self-curing of methacrylates).

Hybrid glassionomer cements are less susceptible to moisture, have better mechanical properties but their adhesion to hard dental tissues and anti-caries action are less than those of classic glassionomers.

Another modifications of glassionomer cements:

1. Packable glassionomer cements (have improved mechanical strength, hardens fast): «Ketak Molar Easy Mix» («3M ESPE», USA-Germany); «Fuji IX» («GC», Japan)

2. Compomers – consist of composite organic matrix, modified with acid groups, and filler (strontium-fluoride-silicate glass and strontium fluoride) and have properties of COMPOsites and glassionoMERS: «Dyract XP» («DentSply», USA); «Twinky Star» («VOCO», Germany)

3. Cermet-cements contains silver-palladium particles, combined with glass (have improved mechanical strength, hardens fast, high radioopacity, less susceptible to moisture, but they have grey color, its adhesion and release of fluoride are lesser than those in classic glassionomers): «Argion», «Argion Molar» («VOCO», Germany)

Mechanism of hardening of classic glassionomer cements:

1 Stage – dissolution or hydratation

After mixing of powder and liquid Al, Ca and F ions release from fluoride-alumino-silicate glass with formation of silicagel.

2 Stage – initial gel-formation or initial unstable hardening (3-6 minutes)

Ions of Ca react with polyacrylic acids with formation of divalent bonds.