Impression materials

By
Dr/Diaa Elmwafy

1
Dental Impression is the negative replica of hard
and soft tissues of the mouth.
Cast (model):
positive replica of the oral hard or soft structures.

2
Purpose of taking impression
1. To study alignment of teeth

2. Construction of special (custom) tray

3. Treatment planning

4. Fabrication of indirect restorations

3
Types of trays
1-Stock trays

2-Special trays

4
Requirments of impression:
A-Before usage and during manipulation
1-Low cost
2-long shelf life
3-Easy manipulation
B-Inside the mouth
1-Sufficient fluid to record fine details.
2-Suitable setting time
3-Non toxic, non irritant
5
 4-A pleasant odor, taste, and acceptable color
C-During and after removal from the mouth
1-Sufficient tear strength
2-Elastic so can be used with undercuts.
3-Dimensional stability should be high
4-Compatible with cast (does not need
separating medium).
5-Could be disinfected without loss of accuracy

6
Classification of impression materials
I. According to withdrawal against undercuts
or elasticity after setting

7
8
II. Based on setting reaction of the material

Plaster of paris
I. Chemical
reaction
(irreversible) Zinc oxide
eugenol
Setting reaction
of the material
Agar agar
II. Physical
change of state
(reversible)
impression
compound

9
A-Rigid (non elastic)
impression materials
 1. Impression compound
Primary -Thermoplastic impression material that
is softened by heating & hardened by cooling.

Forms: sheets & sticks of different colors

Sheet form for recording primary impression of

edentulous pts. without undercut.

Stick form for border tracing of special tray.

for copper band impression.

Properties
A-1-Low cost
2-long shelf life
3-Not easy manipulation
B-1- Not sufficiently fluid to record fine details.
2-Suitable setting time
3-Non toxic, non irritant
C- 1-Sufficient strength
2-Not elastic (rigid) so can't be used with
undercuts
3-Low dimensional stability

It has high coefficient of thermal expansion

and contraction, so it shows considerable
amount of shrinkage on cooling (during
hardening & cooling to room temp.)

4-Compatible with cast (does not need

separating medium).

5-Could be sterilized.
N.B. It can be added or corrected.
Can be copper plated
 2. Zinc oxide eugenol
Secondary impression material consist of 2 tube
*Base: Zinc oxide 80% Inert oil 15%
*Catalyst: Eugenol or Oil of cloves- Gum rosin
and oils -Filler (talc or kaolin)
Accelerator (MgCl2 or CaCl2) and water
Properties
A- 1-High cost
2-Not long shelf life
3-Not easy manipulation
B-1- Sufficiently fluid to record fine details.
2-Suitable setting time
3-Non toxic but irritant (due to eugenol)
C- 1-Sufficient strength
2-Not elastic (rigid) so can't be used with
undercuts
 3-High dimensional stability

4-Compatible with cast (does not need

separating medium).
5-Could be sterilized.

Another properties
Adhere well to dried surfaces of compound,
resin, and shellac bases.
Can be repaired.
Requires special trays.
 Instruments are difficult to clean
 Setting reaction
*Is known as Chelation.
*water is needed to initiate the reaction and it is
also a by product of the reaction. This reaction is
often called autocatalytic reaction.

Non eugenol paste

*Because of the disadvantages of eugenol, so
impressions free of eugenol developed.

*It is formed by Saponification reaction:

zinc oxide reacted with a carboxylic acid as
ortho ethoxybenzoic acid (EBA).
Factors affecting setting time
1-Temp.:↑ temp.→↓ setting time.
2-A drop of water or alcohol or accelerator
→ ↓ setting time.
3-Inert oils →↑ setting time.
4-Ratio of the two pastes →↑or↓ setting
time
5-Mixing time: ↑ the mixing time within
limits → ↓setting time.
B-Elastic impression
materials
A-Hydrocolloid
impression materials
Colloids: Classified as a fourth state of
matter and formed from two phases: the
dispersed phase and the dispersion
medium.

Sol-gel transformation
In the gel state, the dispersed phase
agglomerates to form chains or fibrils.
in dispersion medium which is water, it
is called hydrocolloids.
Classification of hydrocolloids according
to the mode of transforming the sol form
into a gel one

1)Reversible (Agar imp.): changed from sol

to gel by cooling and returned back to sol by
heating (physical change).
2)Irreversible (Alginate imp.):changed from
sol to gel by chemical reaction
 1-Alginate
Primary impression material consist of
Potassium alginate To dissolve in water and react with
calcium ions.
Calcium sulfate To react with potassium alginate to
form an insoluble calcium alginate gel.

Potassium titanium fluoride Accelerator for the setting of the stone.

Sodium phosphate (Retarder) To react with calcium ions to provide

working time before gelation.
Glycerin To make the powder dustless.

Flavoring agent & Disinfectant To produce a pleasant taste &

disinfection
Properties
A- 1-Low cost

2-Not long shelf life

3-Easy manipulation

B-1-Record less fine details than elastomeric .

2-Setting time (Fast & regular)

3-Non toxic or irritant, however Inhaling fine

airborne particles → pulmonary problems
So Dustless alginate is preferred (How?)
C- 1-Low tear strength

2-Elastic (So can be used in undercuts)

3-Disinfection

The impression must be rinsed well in cold

water to remove saliva and any blood.

The disinfectant can be sprayed on the

exposed surface. The imp. is then wrapped
in a disinfectant-soaked paper towel and
placed in a sealed plastic bag for 10 min.
4-Dimensional stability
Once it is removed from the mouth &
exposed to the air at room temp. → syneresis
(shrinkage)

If immersed in H2O→ imbibation. (swelling)

Alginate should be poured up in the model

material as soon as possible, If not the
imp. should be stored in 100% relative
humidity in a plastic bag or wrapped in a
damp paper towel.
5-Compatibility with gypsum

Water content of the hydrocolloid imp. and sodium

sulfate inhibit the setting of the gypsum at the surface.
This can be overcome by:

Immersing the imp. in a solution containing gypsum

accelerator, such as 2% potassium sulfate solution or
using alginate with gympsum hardener as potassium
titanium fluoride.

N.B. A rough stone surface will result if excess

rinsing water has collected on the surface of the
imp. at the time the stone mixture is poured.
Thank you

28