Spectroscopic techniques in the development of glass ionomer cements

Glass ionomer cement [GIC] is a relatively recent development in the field of restorative materials in dental treatment. The setting of GIC is a complex process based on acid-base reaction and may vary with the composition of the ionomer. Various spectroscopic techniques have been applied to understand the nature and duration of the [BC setting process. The techniques include ultraviolet [UV] and visible spectroscopy, infrared [IR] spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared [FT-IR] spectroscopy. nuclear magnetic resonance [NMR] spectroscopy, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, kaman spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy. atomic absorption spectroscopy as well as electron probe microanalysis [FYMA] and have been presented in this article