The co-cured, light-activated glass-ionomer cement-composite resin restoration

The simultaneous curing of unpolymerized composite resin and inactivated light-curing glass-ionomer cement appears to offer a number of clinical improvements to the laminated glass-ionomer cement-composite resin restoration. The observation that composite resin cures before the glass-ionomer cement suggests that the polymerization shrinkage of the resin may be taken up by the uncured glass-ionomer cement, reducing the internal stress of the restoration. A procedure is described for the placement of this type of laminate restoration that reduces both technique sensitivity and placement time, by eliminating a number of the steps required for a conventional "sandwich" restoration. The apparent clinical success of this technique indicates the need for laboratory testing to evaluate the potential of this procedure.