Glass ionomer cements in orthodontics--an update

Because conventional bands continue to be used in clinical orthodontics, it is essential to evaluate new dental cements to establish their suitability as a cementing medium for orthodontic bands. This study was undertaken to determine the failure rate of bands cemented with a glass ionomer cement to premolar and molar teeth. The sample consisted of 100 consecutively completed cases. Stainless steel bands were cemented to premolar and molar teeth (799) with a glass ionomer cement (Ketac-Cem). The failure rate for the bands was 1.9%. This is significantly lower than the 5.1% recorded for bands cemented with a polycarboxylate cement reported in a previous study.