A substance intended for professional use as a dental cement (e.g., luting agent, liner, base, pulp-capping material, root canal sealer) and/or direct dental restorative material whereby the majority of the setting reaction is based on the hardening reaction of a hygroscopic inorganic compound(s) [e.g., calcium silicates, calcium aluminates, zinc sulfate, calcium sulfate] with water (hydration). It is intended to be either mixed with water prior to application or react with dentinal fluid in situ. After application, this device cannot be reused.