by Dr Lester Mark, Endeavour Hills, VIC
by Dr Lester Mark, Endeavour Hills, VICRiva LC is a resin-modified glass ionomer cement in a capsule. I use it for root caries lesions, non-load bearing restorations in areas (or for patients) where aesthetic demands are not high, deciduous restorations on children and as a core build-up material. I also use it for medium- to long-term temporary restorations.
What’s good about it
It has good handling properties and an easy-to-use capsule system. There is usually enough material in each capsule to restore more than one tooth. It appears that each capsule holds more material than other similar products.
The capsule’s orange light-safe tip is a definite advantage. It prevents light exposing the material that is still in the capsule and allows for a longer working time. You can actually complete two or three restorations with one capsule.
The material is suitable for non-load bearing restorations but I’ll use it in a load-bearing area as a temporary material, where it can last six to 12 months. The material is ideal in areas where there is little or no enamel on which to bond, such as root caries lesions.
It is also a little less expensive than its competitors and is made in Australia.
What’s not so good
You have to be careful there are no voids right at the margin. To help prevent this, I prefer to light cure this material under pressure by using a clear strip or a matrix.
