resincement

Resin cement, or dental resin cement, is a class of adhesive luting agents used to bond indirect restorations to tooth structure. It is based on resin monomers and bonding components and is designed to polymerize in situ to form a durable bond with enamel, dentin, and indirect materials such as ceramic, composite, or metal. Resin cements can be light-cured, chemically cured, or dual-cured, with many modern formulations offering dual curing to ensure full polymerization under thick or opaque restorations.

Most resin cements contain dimethacrylate resin matrices (such as Bis-GMA, UDMA, and TEGDMA), inorganic fillers, initiators, and pigments, along with solvents and coupling agents. They are available as self-adhesive cements, which require minimal or no separate bonding steps, and as conventional cements that require a separate bonding agent applied to the tooth surface (etch-and-rinse or self-etch). Resin cements typically provide low film thickness, high bond strength to tooth and restoration surfaces, good esthetics, and radiopacity, while offering resistance to solubility and microleakage when properly handled.

Clinical considerations include the choice of curing mechanism, substrate, and bonding strategy. Indications cover luting ceramic veneers and other indirect ceramic restorations, crowns, inlays/onlays, and post cementation or fiber posts. Surface pretreatment of the restoration (such as etching and silanation for ceramics) and the tooth (enamel etching; dentin bonding) are important for optimal adhesion. Advantages are strong bonding and esthetics; drawbacks include technique sensitivity and the potential for polymerization shrinkage and postoperative sensitivity if bonding is not adequately performed.

Overall, resin cements are valued for adhesive performance in modern indirect-restoration dentistry, with selection guided by substrate, restoration opacity, and clinical requirements.