Clinical and Technical Considerations of Luting Agents for Fixed Prosthodontics

The selection of an appropriate luting agent for final cementation of fixed restorations is no longer an easy decision. The numerous materials from which restorations can be fabricated demand a thorough knowledge of not only the material(s) they are made of but also knowledge of the properties of luting agents. No longer can zinc phosphate cement be used for all fixed restorations that need cementation, as has been the case since its inception, late 1800s, until the 1970s. With the introduction of new restorative materials and clinical applications such as non-precious alloys, feldspathic veneers, all-ceramic restorations, zirconium, lithium disilicate, the demand for more suitable cements developed somewhat in tandem with new materials and clinical techniques. As a result, today's market is flooded with cements, and more are being introduced on a regular basis. Even for the expert and researcher, the combination of these cements with the large variety of restorative materials would be a daunting task to test, and frequently the clinician has to hope that the choice is the proper one. This special issue presents a review of luting agents and attempts to bring the practitioner up to date with new developments. Of particular promise in restorative dentistry are the bioactive luting agents that have sealing and reminer-alizing potential. In this regard, a common misconception is that a luting agent must have high retentive values of its own. The reality is that a luting agent in addition to being an adhesive primarily acts as a seal or gasket to prevent bacteria from penetrating the tooth-restoration interface. Retention is primarily determined by the mechanical resistance and geometry of the preparation. The authors would like to thank the many reviewers who participated in the evaluation of the twenty submitted manuscripts. Of these, eight manuscripts were accepted and are presented here. A comprehensive literature review by C. Pameijer highlights composition, physical properties, and clinical applications of luting agents since their inception late 1880s until today with an introduction of the latest developments. A chart with clinical indications is included, which is intended as a guide to selecting an appropriate luting agent. It should be noted that the author pointed out that this chart is strictly based on personal experience and research; much of which has been conducted by the author. T. Abo and coworkers compared the microtensile bond strengths (µTBSs) of three self-adhesive luting cements and a control (Panavia F 2.0) between …