---
title: "What Is Glass ionomer? Dental Glossary | Town Center Dental"
description: "Glass ionomer is a tooth-colored dental material that bonds to tooth structure and releases fluoride, used for some fillings, liners, and cements."
url: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/glass-ionomer
publisher: Town Center Dental
phone: +1-636-273-5866
quote: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment
---

Materials

# Glass ionomer

Glass ionomer is a tooth-colored dental material that bonds to tooth structure and releases fluoride, used for some fillings, liners, and cements.

Glass ionomer is made from a glass powder and an acid liquid that harden when mixed. It sticks to the tooth on its own and gives off fluoride for a time after it sets. A review in the NIH library says glass-ionomer cements release fluoride for considerable periods after setting. Dentists use it for fillings near the gum line, for baby teeth, and as a base under other fillings. It is also used as a [dental cement](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-cement). It is usually less strong than [composite resin](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/composite-resin), so it is not chosen for every tooth. Your dentist will talk with you about which material fits. See [fluoride varnish](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/fluoride-varnish) and our [fillings page](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/dental-fillings).

[Town Center Dental can helpDental Fillings](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/dental-fillings)

## Related terms

-   [Dental cement](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-cement)
-   [Composite resin](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/composite-resin)
-   [Fluoride varnish](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/fluoride-varnish)
-   [Dental filling](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-filling)
-   [Dental amalgam (silver filling)](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-amalgam-silver-filling)

## Sources

1.  [NIH PubMed Central: Fluoride exchange by glass-ionomer dental cements and its clinical effects: a review](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10444020/)

## Ready when you are

[Request an appointment](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment)[Call (636) 273-5866](tel:+1-636-273-5866)