DANB General Chairside Practice Test

Which of the following is NOT a common use for glass ionomers?

1. Restorative material

2. Denture repair

3. Cementation of crowns

4. Base material under restorations

The correct answer is: Denture repair

Glass ionomers are versatile dental materials known for their ability to bond to both enamel and dentin, release fluoride, and provide thermal insulation. They are commonly utilized in several applications within dentistry. For restorative materials, glass ionomers are used for fillings in areas of low stress, especially in deciduous teeth or as temporary restorations. Their ability to chemically bond to tooth structure and release fluoride contributes to caries prevention. In cementation, glass ionomers serve effective purposes as dental cements, particularly in cementing crowns and bridges due to their good adhesion to dental tissues and metal. Additionally, glass ionomers can be used as a base material under restorations. They provide thermal insulation and protect pulpal tissue during procedures. However, while glass ionomers can technically be used for denture repair, this is not a common practice. Usually, more suitable materials like specific denture repair acrylics are preferred, which better match the properties of existing denture bases. Therefore, denture repair is not a primary application of glass ionomers, making it the correct answer to identify as not a common use for this material.