Abstract Scope |
Inert ceramics have been used for medical devices for centuries to replace hard tissue defects, especially in teeth. In the 1990s, calcium silicate cements, and later, the calcium aluminate cements, were found to be bioactive and biomineralizing, that is they form hydroxyapatite in vivo. This bioactivity has lead to improved outcomes for dental disease that were formerly expected to progress to tooth loss. Hydraulic calcium silicate and calcium aluminate cements are combined with radiopaque ceramic powder, which set with water and with body fluids. These cements perform differently than bioactive glasses which are resorbed. These cements are a boon to dental procedures where the pulp or dentin to arrest disease and support healing of the tissues. This presentation will describe the characteristics of, the indications for, and the various commercial products used for pediatric and adult dentistry to reduce tooth extraction. |