Impression materials

Introduction
• Impression materials are used to obtain
an impression "copy" of teeth and/or the
surrounding oral tissues.

• Impressions are negative reproductions

of dental structures. Obtained by the flow
of the material around oral structures.
Classification of Impressions

Preliminary impressions
• Taken by the dentist .
• Used to make
• (1) diagnostic models,
(2) custom trays,
(3) orthodontic appliances, and
(4) pretreatment and post-treatment records.
Classification of Impressions- cont'd

Final impressions
• Taken by the dentist.
• Used to make the most accurate reproduction
of the teeth and surrounding tissues.
• Used to make indirect restorations, partial or
full dentures, and implants.
Ideal impression material properties
1. Not irritant, injurious, or toxic to the tissues.
2. Has pleasant taste, odor and esthetic color.
3. Dimensionally stable and give accurate surface
details.
4. Be easy to use with minimum equipments.
5. Set at or near mouth temperature.
6. Be compatible with die and cast material.
7. Has setting time under the control of the
operator.
8. Has adequate strength and elastic properties.
9. Has adequate shelf life
10.Be economical.
 Classification
According to elasticity into:
.A/ elastic:
1-Hydrocolloid
• Reversible (agar).
• irreversible (alginate).
2-elastomers (synthetic rubber):
• Polysulfide.
• Polyether.
• Silicone.
.B/Non elastic
• Plaster impression material.
• Compound impression material.
• Wax impression material.
• ZOE paste.
Based on mode of setting.
.A/Materials that set by temperature change:
• Impression compound
• Ager
• Impression wax.
.B/Materials that set by chemical reaction:
• Plaster of Paris.
• Zinc-oxide eugenol.
• Alginate hydrocolloid.
• Elastomeric impression materials.
 Depending on whether they cause displacement
. or compression of tissues during impression.
A-Mucostatic
• Hydrocolloids.
• Elastomers.
• Impression plaster.
B-Mucocompressive
• Impression compound.
• Zinc oxide eugenol paste.
• Impression wax.
 Plaster

Compound
Non-elastic

Waxes

Impression ZnO- Eugenol

Materials
Agar (reversible)
Hydrocolloids
Alginate (irreversible)

Elastic Polysulfide
Condensation

Elastomers Silicones Addition

Polyether
Elastic impression materials
 Hydrocolloids

• Colloids fall between a solution

(homogeneous mixture) and a suspension
(heterogeneous mixture) dispersed in a
medium. When the dispersion medium of a
colloid is water, it is termed a hydrocolloid.

• Colloid may exist in the sol and gel state.

• A sol may be converted into a gel (gelation) in
one of two ways:

1. By a reduction in temperature reversible - agar-agar.

2. By a chemical reaction» irreversible: alginate.

• A gel can lose water (Syneresis) or take up

water or other fluids (Imbibition).

• For dental impression, the material inserted in the

mouth in sol state and removed in gel state.
Reversible Hydrocolloid Agar-agar

• It is organic hydrophilic colloid (polysaccharide)

.
• Constituents are agar, water, borax, potassium
sulphate and filler.
Uses:
.
• 1. Cast duplication.
• 2. Full mouth impressions without deep .
undercuts
• 3. Crowns & bridges.
Manipulation:

Supplied as:
1. Gel in collapsible tube.
2. Syringe material.
3. Bulk container (for duplication)

Agar requires special equipments:

1.Hydrocolloid conditioner.
2.Water cooled tray.
Manipulation:
3 chamber conditioning unit
(1) liquefy at 100°C for 10 minutes
converts gel to sol
(2) store at 65°C place in tray
(3) temper at 46°C for 3 minutes
seat tray
cool with water at 13°C for 3 minutes
converts sol to gel
 Properties of agar:
• Good surface detail
• Can be used on undercuts, but liable to tear on
deep undercuts
• Dimensionally unstable (synersis or imbibitions)
• Non toxic and non irritant
• Slow setting time
• Poor tear resistance
• Adequate shelf life
• Can be sterilized by an aqueous solution of
hypochlorite.
• Reusable.
 Irreversible Hydrocolloid (Alginate)
• Most widely used impression material
• Supplied as powder in:
-bulk container.
-pre weighed packets.
• Modified alginate:
-two paste system.
• Applications:
• Partial denture.
• Preliminary impression for complete denture.
• Make study & working cast.
• Duplicating models.
Compositions

• sodium alginate + calcium sulfate +

trisodium phosphate
• Filler, Flavoring agents and silica small
quantity.
• Chemical indicator small quantity in
some material. It changes color to
indicate different stages in manipulation.
Gelation reaction:

• sodium alginate (sol) + calcium sulfate---

calcium alginate (gel)
• trisodium phosphate act as retarder.
-Gelation time 3-4 min.

• Controlled by adding retarder, alter the

temperature . of water for mixing & by
change water/powder ratio.
 Properties of alginate:

• Pleasant taste & odor.

• Easy to mix & manipulate.
• Minimum requirement of equipment
• Sufficiently fluid to record fine detail.
• Less accurate than agar.
• Sufficiently elastic to be withdrawn over
undercuts.
• Strength reduced by too much or too little
water and over or under mixing time and
increase when removal is delayed.
 Properties of alginate:
• Dimensionally not stable.
• Compatible with plaster and stone.
• Non-toxic, non-irritant.
• The setting time depend on composition and
temperature.
• Low cost and comfortable to the patient.
• Difficult to sterilize
• Biological properties: silica dust is possible
health hazard.
Manipulation:
• Easy to use.
• For mixing we needs clean flexible plastic bowl and
clean wide bladed metal spatula.
• Water/powder ratio specifically manufacture.
• Mixing time 45 sec for fast set & 60 sec for normal
set.
• Working time 75 sec for fast & 2 min for normal set.
• Using perforated rim lock tray or tray adhesion
material.
• Impression poured within 15 min and cast separate
after at least 60 min.
• Vigorous mixing by spreading the material
against the side of the plastic mixing bowl.
• Alginate impression should displaced
sharply from the tissue.

On removal from the mouth:-

1/ Wash with cold water to remove saliva,
2/ Cover with a damp napkin to prevent syneresis,
3/ Cast up as soon as possible, not more than 15
. minutes after taking the impression
4/ cast separated after at least 60 min.
Elastomeric imp. materials Classification:
• Chemically:
1. Polysulfide.
2. Condensation polymerizing silicone.
3. Addition polymerizing silicone.
4. Polyether.
• On viscosity:
1. Light body.
2. Medium (regular) body.
3. Heavy body.
4. Putty.
Uses:

1. Fixed prosthesis.
2. Removable complete and partial denture.
3. Polyether is required for border molding of
special tray.
4. Silicone used as duplicating material.

Supplied as:
Two paste system (base and catalyst) &
putty in jars.
Characteristics of Elastomeric
Impression Materials

Base
Packaged as a paste in a tube, as a cartridge, or
as putty in a jar

Catalyst
Also known as the accelerator, is packaged as a
paste in a tube, as a cartridge, or as a liquid in a
bottle with a dropper top.
 Forms of Elastomeric Materials

Light-bodied
• Also referred to as syringe type, or wash
type. This material is used because of its
ability to flow in and about the details of
the prepared tooth. A special syringe, or
extruder, is used to place the light-bodied
material on and immediately around the
prepared teeth.
Forms of Elastomeric Materials- cont'd

• Regular (Medium), heavy-bodied and

Putty
• Often referred to as tray-type materials, they
are much . thicker. As the names imply, they
are used to fill the tray. If used with light-
bodied material their stiffness helps to force
the light-bodied material into close contact
with the prepared teeth and surrounding
tissues to ensure a more accurate
impression of the details of a preparation.
 Polysulfide imp. material

Composition:
• Base paste (polysulfide polymer, filler,
plasticizer & sulfur).
• Catalyst paste (lead dioxide, plasticizer,
filler or steanic acid).
 Manipulation:
• Supplied in low, medium, and heavy-body.
• Custom tray is used
• Equal lengths of pastes
• Stainless steal spatula., Mixing pad
• Mix thoroughly within one minute
• Setting time 8 - 12 minutes
• Pour within 1 hour
 Properties of polysulfide:
• unpleasant odor (sulfur), messy to handle.
• Has a long setting time 12min, this lead to
patient discomfort.
• Should be used with a special tray.
• reproduce fine details.
• high tear strength
• hydrophobic (dry pt. mouth before making
impression)
silicone imp. Material
Condensation type & addition type
 Condensation-type silicone
Composition (base-paste& catalyst -paste)
Base
• Poly (dimethylsiloxane)
• Filler (colloidal silica)
• Color pigment
• Catalyst
•Orthoethylsilicate
• Stannous octoate
• By-product
• ethyl alcohol
Dimethylsiloxane +Orthoethylsilicate Stannous octoate'=
Silicone rubber +ethyl alcohol
 Manipulation:

• Base is dispensed in to graduated

mixing pad one drop of catalyst is
added for each unit length of base.
• Putty can mix with fingers without
gloves (latex gloves contain sulfur
which inhibit the setting)
• Working time is 2.5 min
. Setting time is 8.9.
Mixing on a cool slab altering base/catalyst
ratio slows the setting.

• Putty-wash technique with stock tray is used.

• Adhesive is painted in & on the outer border
of the tray
Properties:
Advantages
• Better elastic properties
• Pleasant color and odor.
• Excellent reproduction of surface details.
• Used with stock tray (putty-wash
technique) or with special tray
(2-4mm)space.
• Good working and setting time
• Moderate cost.
 Disadvantages
• Poor dimensional stability
• high shrinkage -evaporation of ethanol
• So pour immediately or within 30
minutes

• Hydrophobic
• Low tear strength (compared with poly
sulfide).
Addition silicone
(vinyl polysiloxane):

• Modification of condensation type by changing

the setting mechanism.

Composition:
• Base paste: poly methyl hydrogen siloxane
polymers.
• Catalyst paste: divenyl polydimethyle siloxane
 Manipulation:
• supplies as two pastes, and the putty as jars.
• Easy to mix.
• Putty-wash technique using stock tray.
• impression can be disinfected
• compatible with available gypsum products.
• Working time is 1-8 min
• Setting time is 5-9 min
• Cast poured 24 hour.
 Mixing techniques

Automatic mixing
• Reduces mixing time
• Reduces bubbles
• Homogenous mix
• Use correct mixing proportions .

☐ Manual:
☐ Mechanical:
 Properties:

1. Most elastic material.

2. Gives a fine details.
3. Has adequate tearing resistance.
4. Most dimensionally stable than all materials.
5. Multiple casts can be made from the same
impression.
6. highly biocompatible.
7. Adequate Shelf life
Poly ether material:
Composition:
• base paste: polyether polymer, colloidal
silica, and plasticizer (glycol ether).

• catalyst paste: alkyle aromatic sulfonate,

filler & plasticizer.

• originally supplied in one viscosity used

for both syringe and tray.
 Manipulation:

• Automatic mixing devices are used but most

are still mixed by hands.
• Both custom & stock tray with adequate
amount of adhesive can be used.
• setting time 8.3 min.
• Working time 2-3 min.
 Properties:
1. The stiffest of the elastic impression materials.
2. Highly accurate impression material.
3. Tear resistance is good.
4. Dimensional changes are small.
5. Cast can poured after several hours or days.
6. Impression store in dry cool environment.
7. Hypersensitivity to catalyst (contact dermatitis)
8. Store under normal environmental conditions.
9. Adequate Shelf life
10. Expensive.
Non elastic impression material:
Non elastic impression material:
Impression compound:
• rigid, reversible impression material, sets by
physical change.
• use mainly for edentulous mouth impressions.
Classification:
• Type 1: impression compound.
• Type 2: tray compound.
Supplied as: sheets, sticks and cakes.
 Composition:
•Waxes, thermoplastic resins, organic acids,
fillers and coloring agents.
Properties
• Has very low thermal conductivity.
• Has minimum flow.
• Poor dimensional stability.
• Less accurate.
 Manipulation:
• For stick compound used direct flame.
• For cakes used warm water 70°c.
• Cast should be poured immediately.
• Removal of cast from impression by immersion it in
warm water.
.Disadvantages:
1. Difficult to record details.
2. Compress soft tissues.
3. Distortion (poor dimensional stability).
4. Difficult to remove from undercuts.
Zinc oxide eugenol impression paste:

• Used for edentulous patients.

Classification:
-type 1 (hard).
-type 2 (soft).

Available as:
• Two paste forms.
• Base paste (white in color).
• Accelerator or catalyst paste.
 Composition:
Zinc oxide, fixed vegetable or mineral oil, oil of
cloves, gum or polymerized rosin, calcium
chloride and other catalysts.

Setting reaction:
acid-base reaction
• Setting time:
type 1. : 3-10 min.
type 2. : 3-15 min.
 Manipulation:
• Paper or glass slab is used.
• Flexible stainless steel spatula.
• Equal length of each pastes.
• Mixing time is 1 min.
• Properties
.
1. Consistency and flow: thick paste compress the tissues.
2. It gives accurate details.
3. Dimensionally stable.
4. Some patients experience a burning sensation in the
mouth.
Factors Controlling the setting time:

• Accelerators: water, magnesium chloride, zinc

acetate or alcohol.

• Retarders: inert oils such as olive oils, mineral

oil.
Factors Controlling the setting time:

• Ratio of zinc oxide paste to eugenol paste.

• Cooling spatula and mixing slab.

• Effect of high temperature and humidity:.

sets more quickly at high temperature and
humidity.
Other products: NON Eugenol type

Eugenol free:
1. Chlorothymol.
2. Carboxylic acid.
3. Lauric acid.

Substituted for eugenol.