DENTAL WAXES

Keywords
• Pontic wax
• Light cure dipping wax
• Wax palate patterns
• Light polymerized pattern waxes
 history

BEES WAX

GREEK AND ROMAN in 3000 BC

• MATTHAEUS GOTTFRIED PURMANN in 1700 -
used as models in prosthodontics
• In 1711- bees wax was used as a impression
material.
• ‘WAX’ is derived from the word ‘WEAX’ –
anglo-saxon
 Definition

Waxes are thermoplastic

materials which are solids at
room temperature but melt
without decomposition to
form mobile liquids

Craig RG, Powers JH: Restorative dental materials, 11th edition, Mosby
Classification according to origin

Mineral
Natural
Plants
waxes
Insects
Synthetic
Animal
Craig RG, Powers JH: Restorative dental materials, 11th edition, Mosby
Minerals Plants Insects Animals
• Paraffin • Carnauba • Beeswax • Spermaceti
• Microcrystal • Ouricury
line • Candelilla
• Montan • Japan wax
• Ceresin • Cocoa
• Barnsdehl butter
• ozokerite

Craig RG, Powers JH: Restorative dental materials, 11th edition, Mosby
 Synthetic waxes

Aerosol ot Albacer Acrawax

Dura wax Flexo-wax

Castorwax
1032 c

Epolene N
10
Classification according to use

waxes

pattern Processing Impression

wax wax wax

O'Brien WJ, editor. Dental materials and their selection.

 Pattern wax

Inlay RPD Base plate

casting wax casting wax wax

Dipping Margin
Sprue wax
wax wax
 Processing wax
• Boxing wax
• Modeling wax
• Sticky wax
• Occlusal rim wax
• Spool wire wax
Impression wax

Corrective wax

Bite registration
wax
According to organic compounds
Hydrocarbon Esters Aldehydes Acids

Paraffin Carnauba Carnauba Carnauba

Microcryst
alline Ouricury Ouricury Ouricury

ozokerite Candelilla Candelilla Candelilla

Montan Japan
Beewax Beewax
wax wax

Carnauba
Montan Cocoa
wax butter

Ouricury Beewax

Candelilla
Montan
wax
 Requirements
Either by direct or indirect technique :
The wax pattern must
No dimensional change
conform to the exact size,
should take place in the
shape and contour of the
wax pattern once it has
appliance which is to be
been formed.
constructed.

After formation of the

casting mould, it should be
possible to remove the wax
by boiling out or burning
without leaving a residue

McCabe JF, Walls AW, editors. Applied dental materials. John Wiley & Sons; 2013 May 7.
 properties
• Melting range
• Thermal expansion
• Mechanical properties
• Flow
• Residual stress
• Ductability
• Wettability
Properties of Natural Waxes Used in Dentistry; R.G. Craig, J.D. Eick and F.A. Peyton; J DENT RES
1965 44: 1308.
Melting range
Thermal expansion

Mineral
waxes

Plant
waxes
 Thermal
expansion
Mechanical properties
Modulus of
elasticity

Mechanical
properties

Proportional Compressive
limit strength
Modulus of elasticity
 Flow

Temperature
Time of force
of wax

Flow
increases
Force
near the

Flow melting point

 Bees wax

Flows
at 40ºC

No flow
at 38ºC

Hence used as impression

wax
Residual stress
 Ductility
• It increases as the temperature of the wax is
increased.
• Waxes with a lower melting temperatures
have a greater ductility
 Wettability
• The wetting which occurs at the surface of the
wax pattern during investing is generally poor.
 Natural waxes
Mineral waxes

Craig RG, Powers JH: Restorative dental materials, 11th edition, Mosby
 Paraffin wax

Melting point: Oil: 0.5%

52°C Carnauba
(40- 70°C) wax:75%

Flows at 28-
31°C
 Microcrystalline wax
• Similar to paraffin wax
• Formed from heavier oils
• Increased melting point
 Barnsdahl wax
• Type of microcrystalline wax
 Ozokerite wax

Earth wax
Central EUROPE
 Montan waxes
Montan wax is also known as lignite wax or OP wax.
Their composition and properties are similar to those of the
plant waxes.
Found in Germany, and in the Ione Basin, California.
It can be used for making car and shoe polishes, different paints,
and phonograph records, and also as lubricant for paper and
plastics.
Ceresin waxes
Natural-mineral petroleum
refining

Lignite refining
 Plant sourse
• Carnauba
• Ouricury
• Candelilla
• Japan wax
• Cocoa butter

Anusavice KJ, Shen C, Rawls HR. Phillips' science of dental materials. Elsevier Health
Sciences; 2013.
 Carnauba
Grows only in the northeastern Brazilian states

Also known as the queen of waxes

It is obtained from the leaf of the carnauba palm by

gathering them
beating to loosen the wax, and then through refining
and bleaching
 STRIGHT CHAIN OF
ESTERS

HYDROCARBONS CARNAUBA ALCOHOL

ACID
 Ouricury

Has the same structures as carnauba wax

Adding ouricury waxes produces a similar effect,

but they are less effective than carnauba wax.
Candelilla
 Japan wax
• NOT A TRUE WAX - CHEIFLY FAT

PALMITIC STERICACID

HIGHER
GLYCERIDES MOLECULAR
Japan WEIGHT ACID

wax
 Cocoa butter
• NOT A TRUE WAX - CHEIFLY FAT

OLEIC

PALMITIC LAURIC

GLYCERIDES Cocoa LOWER

FATTY
& STEARIC butter ACIDS
Insect wax
 Bees wax

1200 bees makes one grain of

wax
Brittle at room temperature
Plastic at oral temperature

Craig RG, Powers JH: Restorative dental materials, 11th edition, Mosby
SATUATED &
UNSATURATED
HYDROCARBONS

HIGH MOLECULAR
WEIGHT ORGANIC
ACID

ESTERS
 Animal waxes

Craig RG, Powers JH: Restorative dental materials, 11th edition, Mosby
spermaceti
 Synthetic waxes
POLYETHYLENE WAXES (ml wt = 2000-4000,mp 100
– 105˚C)

POLYOXYETHYLENE GLYCOL WAXES (mp – 37 – 63˚C)

HALOGENATED HYDROCARBON WAXES

HYDROGENATED WAXES

WAX ESTERS FROM REACTION OF FATTY

ALCOHOLS AND ACIDS

Anusavice KJ, Shen C, Rawls HR. Phillips' science of dental materials. Elsevier Health
Sciences; 2013.
 According to use
• Pattern wax
• Processing wax
• Impression wax
 Pattern wax
• Inlay casting wax
• RPD casting wax
• Base plate wax
• Dipping wax
• Margin wax
• Sprue wax
 Inlay casting wax

ADA NO: 122

Anusavice KJ, Shen C, Rawls HR. Phillips' science of dental materials. Elsevier Health
Sciences; 2013.
 Composition
• PARAFFIN 60%

• CANDELILLA & MICROCRYSTALLINE

• BEE WAX 5%

• CARNAUBA 25%

• CERESIN 10%
 BY
BY FLOW
TECHNIQUE

HARD DIRECT

REGULAR INDIRECT

SOFT
 PROPERTIES
SHOULD SOFTEN UNIFORMLY

COLOUR SHOULD BE IN CONTRAST TO DIE MATERIAL

SHOULD NOT COME IN FLAKES WHILE WORKING

SHOULD NOT BE VERY STICKY OR SHOULD NOT CHIP

WHILE CARVING

SHOULD MELT COMPLETELY WITHOUT RESIDUE AT

500˚C

RESIDUE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 0.10% IT ORIGINAL

WEIGHT

SHOULD BE RIGID AND DIMENTIONALLY STABLE TILL

ELIMINATED
THERMAL EXPANSION – 0.7% ABOVE 20˚C

VOLUMETRIC CONTRACTION – 0.35%

( COOLED FROM 37˚C- 25˚C )

AVERAGE COEFFICENT OF TERMAL

EXPANSION – 350X10-6/˚C
 TYPE 1 TYPE 2
• LOW FLOW AT 37˚C • HIGHER FLOW THAN THAT OF
• WORKING TEMPERATURE – TYPE I
45˚C • SHOULD USE DRY HEAT THAN
• SHOULD NOT BE HIGH TO WET HEAT
AVOID PULPAL DAMAGE • HAS LESS SHRINKAGE THAN
TYPE I
 TYPE 1
LINEAR
CONTRACTION
MOUTH – ROOM
TEMP

EXCESS FLOW BY
OVER HEATING
INSUFFICIENT
MAKES LACK OF DETAILS
FLOW
COMPRESSION OF
WAX DIFFICULT

EXCESS STRESS
WITHIN THE
PATTERN
 TYPE 2
DIE SHOULD BE
LUBRICATED

PATTERN IS
WAX IS MELTED
REMOVED WITH
AND ADDED IN
EXPLORER /
LAYERS
THREAD

SILK / FINE CLOTH

IS USED FOR WAX IS CARVED
POLISHING
Wax distorion
 RPD casting wax

Federal specification no: 140

Craig RG, Powers JH: Restorative dental materials, 11th edition, Mosby
 Composition
• PARAFFIN 60%

• CANDELILLA & MICROCRYSTALLINE

• BEE WAX 5%

• CARNAUBA 25%

• CERESIN 10%
FLOW 35˚C – 10%

FLOW 38˚C – 60%

BREAKING POINT -
23˚C ± 1˚C
 Properties

PLIABLE & ADAPTABLE AT 40˚C - 45˚C

COPY ACURATELY

NOT BRITTLE

VAPORIZE AT 500˚C
 Base plate wax

Craig RG, Powers JH: Restorative dental materials, 11th edition, Mosby
80% ceresin or 70% paraffin

12% bees wax

2.5% carnuaba

3% synthetic resins

2.5% Microcrystalline wax

 Dipping wax

Craig RG, Powers JH: Restorative dental materials, 11th edition, Mosby
• HIGH ELASTICITY (MEMORY)

• CLEAN BURNOUT

• MINIMUM SHRINKAGE

• EXCELLENT SCRAPING ABLITY

• WARPAGE: PATTERNS DISTORT DUE TO STRESS RELEASE

 Marginal wax

• SEAL MARGINS OF COPING , CROWN & INLAY

ONLAY
 Sprue wax
• Melts completely without leaving any residues
at 78°C

Anusavice, Philipps’: Science of dental materials, 11th edition, Elsevier

 Pontic wax
• Blocks of 4 Pontics
• Anatomic form of the pontics
• Easy separating according to
esthetic demands
• 100% wax, burns without
residue
• Occlusal depth, for a natural
result
• Color: Blue
Renfert - GEO Pontics. (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.renfert.com/int en/PM/Products/Materials/Crown-and-Bridge-Waxes/GEO-Pontics
 Light cure dipping wax
• Provides extremely stable copings
• Material is firm to the touch but flexible like
plastic
• High precision right to the margin line
• Easy to handle like normal dipping waxes
• Leaves no residue
• Use only in dipping units with UV protection
covers
LiWa Dip® Light curing dipping-wax, transparent -WP Dental
 Processing wax
• Boxing wax
• Modeling wax
• Sticky wax
• Occlusal rim wax
• Spool wire wax

Anusavice, Philipps’: Science of dental materials, 11th edition, Elsevier

 Boxing wax
Thickness :
Regular: 16mm
Thin: 14mm
Melts at 80°C
Beading wax
 Perphery wax

Periphery Wax Sticks 60/Bx - Heraeus Kulzer

https://www.nobledentalsupplies.com/periphery-wax-sticks-60bx-heraeus-kulzer
Modelling wax
Sticky wax
 Occlusal rim wax

Mc Lean LF, Brenman HS, Friedman MG. Effects of changing body position on dental occlusion. Journal of
Dental Research. 1973 Sep;52(5):1041-5
 Wax palate patterns

filled and non-filled pattern waxes for investment casting

https://www.paramelt.com/Casting-wax-pattern-wax.aspx?gclid
Impression corrective wax
Bite registration wax
 Other waxes
• Relief wax
• Blockout wax
Relief wax
Block out wax
 Recent advancements
• The purpose of this study was to investigate the
influence of the material, of conventional wax
patterns, and the recently introduced light-
polymerized patterns on the initial surface roughness
and internal porosity of the cobalt-chromium
castings of partial removable dental prostheses.

Swelem AA, Abdelnabi MH, Al-Dharrab AA, AbdelMaguid HF. Surface roughness and
internal porosity of partial removable dental prosthesis frameworks fabricated from
conventional wax and light-polymerized patterns: a comparative study. The Journal of
prosthetic dentistry. 2014 Apr 1;111(4):335-41.
• This paper gives the results of a number of dental
casting experiments, showing effects of physical
properties of the materials used in the casting
process upon the finished casting. The dimensions of
the castings are shown to be changed by the type of
investment, casting temperature, water-powder ratio
of the investment, and the treatment of the wax
pattern. Casting proved to show maximum defects
due to the defect in the wax pattern

Dental Casting Technic: Theory and Practice : A Report To the

Research Commission of the American Dental Association; Geo C.
Paffenbarger and W.T. Sweeney; J DENT RES 1931 11: 681.
 • Differential thermal analysis (DTA) has been used to
characterize a variety of dental materials and the
components of tooth structure. The technique is
useful for the rapid comparison of similar materials,
quality control, measurement of melting ranges, and
the study of reactions occurring at elevated
temperatures.

Brauer GM, Termini DJ, Burns CL. Characterization of components of dental materials and components of tooth
structure by differential thermal analysis. Journal of dental research. 1970 Jan;49(1):100-10.
• A wax model of a required coping is produced
using CNC machining techniques based on a
virtual model of the coping created from
digital data obtained from the intraoral cavity.
The dental coping is then fabricated from the
wax model.

Kopelman A, Taub E, inventors; Cadent Ltd, assignee. Method for CNC milling a wax model of a dental
prosthesis or coping. United States patent US 7,383,094. 2008 Jun 3.
 References
• Anusavice, Philipps’: Science of dental materials, 11th edition,
Elsevier
• Craig RG, Powers JH: Restorative dental materials, 11th edition,
Mosby
• William J. O’ brien: Dental materials and their selection, 2nd
edition.
• Swelem AA, Abdelnabi MH, Al-Dharrab AA, AbdelMaguid HF.
Surface roughness and internal porosity of partial removable
dental prosthesis frameworks fabricated from conventional wax
and light-polymerized patterns: a comparative study. The Journal
of prosthetic dentistry. 2014 Apr 1;111(4):335-41.
• Dental Casting Technic: Theory and Practice : A Report To the
Research Commission of the American Dental Association; Geo
C. Paffenbarger and W.T. Sweeney; J DENT RES 1931 11: 681.
• Properties of Natural Waxes Used in Dentistry; R.G. Craig, J.D.
Eick and F.A. Peyton; J DENT RES 1965 44: 1308.
• Brauer GM, Termini DJ, Burns CL. Characterization of
components of dental materials and components of tooth
structure by differential thermal analysis. Journal of dental
research. 1970 Jan;49(1):100-10.
• Mc Lean LF, Brenman HS, Friedman MG. Effects of changing body
position on dental occlusion. Journal of Dental Research. 1973
Sep;52(5):1041-5
• Anusavice KJ, Shen C, Rawls HR. Phillips' science of dental
materials. Elsevier Health Sciences; 2013.
• McCabe JF, Walls AW, editors. Applied dental materials. John
Wiley & Sons; 2013 May 7.
• Kopelman A, Taub E, inventors; Cadent Ltd, assignee.
Method for CNC milling a wax model of a dental
prosthesis or coping. United States patent US 7,383,094.
2008 Jun 3.
• O'Brien WJ, editor. Dental materials and their selection
• Renfert - GEO Pontics. (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.renfert.com/int-en/PM/Products/Materials
/Crown-and-Bridge-Waxes/GEO-Pontics
• LiWa Dip® Light curing dipping-wax, transparent -WP
Dental
• Periphery Wax Sticks 60/Bx - Heraeus Kulzer
• https://www.nobledentalsupplies.com/periphery-wa
x-sticks-60bx-heraeus-kulzer
• filled and non-filled pattern waxes for investment casting
https://www.paramelt.com/Casting-wax-pattern-wax.aspx?gcl
id