The senior author first became interested in acid–base cements in 1964 when he undertook to examine the deficiencies of the dental silicate cement with a view to improving performance. At that time there was much concern by both dental surgeon and patient at the failure of this aesthetic material which was used to restore front teeth. Indeed, at the time, one correspondent commenting on this problem to a newspaper remarked that although mankind had solved the problem of nuclear energy the same could not be said of the restoration of front teeth. At the time it was supposed that the dental silicate cement was, as its name implied, a silicate cement which set by the formation of silica gel. Structural studies at the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) soon proved that this view was incorrect and that the cement set by formation of an amorphous aluminium phosphate salt. Thus we became aware of and intrigued by a class of materials that set by an acid–base reaction. It appeared that there was endless scope for the formulation of novel materials based on this concept. And so it proved.

Over the years, from 1964 to date, a team at the LGC, with its expertise in Materials Chemistry, has studied many of the materials described in this book, elucidating structures, setting reactions and behaviour. This experience has formed a strong experimental background against which the book was written. In addition we have maintained contact with leaders in this field throughout the world.