Resin Cements and Universal Bonding Agents

Universal has become a popular buzz-word in dentistry, categorizing cements, composites, and, as we will examine in this issue, bonding agents. With its all encompassing definition, it is easy to see how this category of “universal” can become confusing. Universal has been used to describe a bonding agent that can be used with many different restorative materials, one that can be used with a total-etch, selective etch, and self-etch techniques, and agents that can be used in dual-cure and light cure procedures. Because of the wide-spread use of this descriptor and the ambiguity of the resulting category, it is imperative that we do the necessary research on the products we are utilizing to ensure appropriate use. This issue of THE DENTAL ADVISOR reviews the characteristics and properties of universal bonding agents and resin cements. Laboratory and long-term clinical results are reported.

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