o Uses

 Make an accurate replica of

tissues.
o Impression
 Single tooth.
 Whole dentition.
 Partially or
completely
edentulous mouth.
• 1-Biocompatible: non toxic- non irritant.
o 2-Acceptable to the patient: pleasant
odour, taste, esthetic colour.
o 3-Ease of manipulation, reasonable
cost.
o 4-Reasonable setting time.
o 5-Adequate shelf life.
o 6-Adequate strength: not tear or break
o 7-Compatible with model materials.

o 8-Dimensionally stable: neither expands

nor contracts.
o 9-Adequate flow properties: to register
fine details.
o 10-Readily disinfected without loss of
accuracy.
 Non

Elastic
Non Elastic Elastic
 Reversible Irreversibl
e
Sets by a physical Sets by a
reaction due to chemical reaction.
temperature
changes
 Plaster

Compound
Non-elastic
Waxes

ZnO - Eugenol
Impression
Materials

Agar
Aqueous ((reversible
Hydrocolloids
(Alginate (irreversible
Elastic
Polysulfide
Condensation
Non-aqueous Silicones
Elastomers
Addition
Polyether

O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection

o Thermoplastic material.
o Composition:
 Natural resins e.g., shellac & carnuba
wax.
 Fillers: soap or talc.
 Lubricants: stearic acid.
 Colouring agent: e.g., rouge.
Type I: low fusing compound softens at 53-
60°C
Supplied in the form of sheets, or cakes
used as: impression for edentulous patients.
Or in the form of sticks or cones or
cylinders.
Used as: impression for a single tooth
preparation as in (crowns), known as
Copper Band Impression.
 Type II: High fusing compound softens at
70°°C.
Used as tray material to hold a secondary
impression material
Heating:
o In a water bath-soaking in water in cases
of sheets and cakes.
o Over a flame in case of sticks.
o Avoid over heating.
o Kneading: with the fingers.
o Importance: assures uniform heating
Increases the flow.
Gives workability.
Cooling:

o Assure uniform cooling by

spraying with water at 16-18°C

before removal from the mouth.

 Flow: Type 1: 85% at 45°C

less than 6% at

37°C.

 Type II: 70% at 45°C

less than 2% at 37°C.

 Viscous material does not record fine

• Low thermal conductivity.

• High expansion and contraction

coefficients.

• Linear contraction on cooling from

mouth temperature to room

temperature

(0.3%-0.4%).
o Dimensional Changes: due to relief of

internal stresses (relaxation) → Warpage

→ distortion of the impression.

o Model should be poured as soon as

possible.

o No separating medium.

o Separation of model.
 Uses:
Secondary impression or final wash in a
special tray.
Composition of powder:
1. Calcium sulphate hemihydrate.(main
ingredient)
2. Potassium sulphate or nitrate:
Accelerator
3. Flavouring agent.
4. Colouring agents.
Reaction:
Chemical reaction: crystalization and
exothermic
CaSO4 ½ H2O + H2O → CaSO4.2H2O + heat

Dimensional changes:
Setting expansion can be reduced to + 0.06%
by presence of K2SO4.

Soluble impression plaster:

Contains starch to facilitate the separation of
impression from model by softening when
Manipulation:
Water / powder ratio.
55 to 60ml water to 100gm of powder.
Separating medium alcoholic solution of
varnish. Or soap suspensions.

Properties.
o Storage problems:
o kept in sealed containers.
Slide 9 of 33
Advantages and
Disadvantages
Advantages Disadvantages
Accurate Patient may
reproduction of experience
fine details dry sensation

Minimal dimensional Material is brittle

changes (fracture If
undercuts are
)present
Uses: as a secondary impression, corrective
wash.
Composition
1. Base materials
• zinc oxide
• Inert oils: mineral oil.
2. Accelerator:
a. Oil of cloves or eugenol.
b. Gum rosin.
c. Fillers: talc, kaolin.
d. Accelertor: MgCl2 and moisture.
Other products: NON Eugenol type

Eugenol free: chlorothymol or

carboxylic acid or lauric acid

substituted for eugenol.

Setting reaction
Acid – base reaction.

Zinc oxide + water  zinc hydroxide

Zinc hydroxide + 2 eugenol
Acid base

zinc eugenolate (chelate) (salt)

Chelation reaction
Chelation:
Is the attachment of a molecule or ion to
metal atom at more than one point.
The term is derived from the Greek word
meaning “crab’s claw” indicating two pronged
attachment.
• A central zinc atom is held by two eugenol
“claws”.
Setting time
Types: S.T
Type I: hard 10 minutes
Type II: soft 15 minutes
Factors Controlling the setting time:
 Accelerators: water, magnesium
chloride, zinc acetate or alcohol.
 Retarders: inert oils such as olive oils,
mineral oil.
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

o Manipulation.
 Pouring and separating cast.
Dimensional changes:
Shrink less than 0.1% after 30
minutes.
Delayed pouring of impression – tray
should be stable.
o Do not use base plate (shellac) special
tray → warpage on standing → distortion
of impression
 Plaster

Compound
Non-elastic
Waxes

ZnO - Eugenol
Impression
Materials

(Agar (reversible
Aqueous
Hydrocolloids (Alginate (irreversible

Elastic
Polysulfide
Condensati
Non-aqueous on
Silicones
Elastomers
Addition
Polyether

O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection

 Solution: homogenous mixture:
one phase system.
 Suspension: hetrogenous mixture:
two phase system.
 Colloids: hetrogenous, particle size of the
particles are smaller than in suspension:
two phase system.
 Dispersed phase.
 Dispersion medium → water → Hydrocolloid
• Sol state: viscous liquid.
• Gel state: jelly like
sol Agglomeration of molecules gel

→ fibrils in a network pattern.

→Brush heap structure.
• Sol reduction in temperature
gel
reversible hydrocolloid

Or by: chemical reaction:

irreversible hydrocolloid.
Reversible hydrocolloids: Agar-Agar

Liquefaction temperature: 71°C-100°C.

Gelation temperature 37°C-43°C.

• Hysteresis: temperature lag or different

liquefaction and gelation temperature

• Sol gel: physical

change.
 cool to 43 C

(agar hydrocolloid (hot( agar hydrocolloid (cold

(sol( heat to 100 C
( gel
Uses
Composition: Agar 12.5% by wt.(extracted from
sea weeds)
Borax(strengthener)
Potassium sulphate
Alkyl benzoate(anti fungal )
Water 85.5% by wt.
Syringes: low viscosity – high flow.
Tubes: high viscosity – heavy body: low flow.
Manipulation

• Heating and Conditioning Bath

Manipulation
chamber conditioning unit 3
liquefy at 100°C for ( 1)
10 minutes
converts gel to sol
store at 65°C( 2)
place in tray
temper at 46°C for 3 minutes( 3)
seat tray
cool with water at 13°C for 3
minutes
converts sol to gel
Gelation: Use of water cooling system tray
with means of retention (perforations).
 Avoid iced H2O: concentration of
stresses.
 Avoid exerting pressure on the tray or
moving it.
 Removal impression: one single stroke
or sudden pull.
 → reduce permanent deformation and
tearing of impression
Dimensional changes:
Loss of water by Evaporation
Synersis: Exuding of fluid at surface
of the gel (fibrils cross link continues
.
Shrinkage

Imbibition:
If the gel absorbs water
expansion or swelling.
Stresses:
 Pressure on tray during gelation.
 Use of iced H2O during initial stages
Syneresis
Imbibition
contract or expand by water loss or gain

H2O

H2O

60
Advantages and
Disadvantages of Agar
Advantages:
 Detail reproduction is very
good.
 Can record undercut areas
correctly.
 Distortion on removal is
prevented due to elastic
recovery.
 Well tolerated by the
patient.
 Can be reused.
Disadvantages:
 Can not be electroplated.
 Thin sections of impression
tears easily.
 Multiple models can not be
poured like elastomeric
impression materials.
 Special armamentarium
(equipments) required.
 Gypsum hardener required.
 Sterilization of impression
is difficult.
 Uses
Sol  gel by chemical reaction
Advantages:
 Easy to manipulate.
 Does not require
special equipment.
 Relatively
inexpensive.
 Comfortable for the
Composition:
 Potassium alginate.(salt of alginic acid)
 Calcium sulphate dihydrate.(reactor)
Potassium sulphate.(improves gypsum
surface)
 Sodium phosphate: retarder.
 Diatomaceous earth: filler.
 Glycols: dustless.
 Pigments.
 Flavours.
 Quaternary ammonium salts:
Reaction:
+ H2O
1. CaSO4.2H2O + Na3PO4 Ca3PO4 + 3Na2SO4

2. CaSO4.2H2O+k Alginate K2SO4 + calcium

alginate
(insoluble
gel)

Types: amount of Na3PO4

 Fast set: less amount of retarder.

 Regular set.
Concentration of filler:
Controls flexibility of set impression.
 Soft set: less amount of filler.
 Hard set.
Manipulation:
 Proportioning.
 Mixing: vigorous mix – against sides of
the rubber bowl.
 Mixing time: 45 seconds (fast set).
One minute (regular set).
Gelation time:

1.5-5 minutes from the start of mix till

material is no longer tacky when touched
with finger.

 Avoid movement of the tray during

setting.

 Remove the tray after additional/2-3

minutes as elasticity is improved with
time and permanent deformation is ↓↓.
Control of the S.T:

• Do not reduce powder/H2O ratio as

this affects consistency, accuracy and

↓ strength.
• To prolong S.T: reduce temperature
of H2O *not below 18°C.
temperature of water should be
between 18-24°C.
• Better to choose the suitable type of
• Removal of the impression: one sudden pull-
single stroke.
As the material is Visco Elastic:
Mechanical properties are time dependant
and depends upon rate of load application.
• Rapid rate of removal: Tear Strength ↑↑ 4
times by sudden pull removal.
• Pouring impression: washing under running
tap H2O, to remove blood, saliva.
No: separating medium.
• Dimensional changes.
 How to avoid dimensional changes

1.Immediate pouring of the impression.

2.Storing in a humidor: 100% relative

humidity or wrapping in paper towel
saturated with water.

• This does not prevent

synersis.

• Done only for one

hour maximum.
Surface Hardness Of The Cast
Gypsum casts poured against
hydrocolloids sometimes have rough or
chalky surface which causes inaccuracy
or lack of sharp details.
Causes:
• Impression not washed from blood or
saliva after removal from the mouth as
blood and saliva retard the setting of
gypsum.
• Excess H2O left in impression surface before
pouring  dilute surface of the model.
• Impression stored in humidor for ½ or 1
hour, not washed to remove exudate.
• Removal of the model after a long time
(several hours)…contact of the gel
containing H2O with gypsum which is
slightly soluble. CaSO4.2H2O  chalky
surface.
• Premature removal of the model: not before
Syringed agar: boiled for 8 minutes cooled
to 65°C for 10 minutes, injected around
preparation.

Alginate: mixed in
tray over agar.

Setting time: 4
minutes.
Advantages:

• Simple heating equipment.

• No water cooling system trays.

• Fine details of preparation.

• Agar: more compatible with gypsum

model materials than alginate, & has
higher tear strength than algiante
 Plaster

Compound
Non-elastic
Waxes

ZnO - Eugenol
Materials
Impression

Agar
Aqueous ((reversible
Hydrocolloids
(Alginate (irreversible

Elastic
Polysulfide
Condensati
Non-aqueous on
Silicones
Elastomers
Addition
Polyether

O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection

 Rubber-like in nature *polymers.

ADA No. 19: Non Aqueous Elastomers

Uses:

• Impression for crown and bridge.

• Partial denture.
Non-Aqueous Elastomers
• Synthetic rubbers
• mimic natural rubber
• scarce during World War II
• Large polymers
• some chain lengthening
• primarily cross-linking
• Viscosity classes
• low, medium, high, putty
• monophasic

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials

I- Polysulphides

Base Catalyst
• Polysulphide polymer • Lead
dioxide.
• Dibutylphthalate
• Sulphur

• Copper carbonate
Titanium carbonate
Or silica as filler materials.
(Polymer with terminal and pendant mercaptan groups (-SH

Byproduct H2O
Reaction: condensation polymerization

Terminal and pendant gps of polymer are

oxidized by lead dioxide → chain extension of
terminal SH gp and cross linking of pendant
gp.

Polysulphide polymer + lead dioxide →

polysulphide rubber + lead oxide + H2O …..
Exothermic 3-4°C.

↑↑ in molecular weight

Paste → rubber.
Base: three consistencies

low: syringe ------ light body As % filler

Medium ----------- regular increase

viscosity
High: tray ----------- Heavy body
increase
s
SH-- HS--------------------- -HS -S-S---------------S-S-
O SH O -
=

=
Pb S Pb S 3PbO + H O+
H 2
=

=
O O = Pb = O S
H O
S

mercaptan + lead dioxide polysulfide rubber + lead oxide +

water

O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection

 Lead dioxide: is dark brown to

gray brown in colour and toxic.

 So substituted by hydrated

Cu(OH)2

→ green mix
Silicone impression material

I- Condensation Silicone

Polymer: hydroxy-terminated poly

(dimethyl siloxane)
Base Catalyst
Dimethyl siloxane polymer with Stannous octoate + alkyl
terminal OH gp + silicate as
Copper carbonate, silica as fillers. Tetra ethyl silicate

Reaction → silicone rubber + alcohol

exothermic 1°C
Condensation polymerization → largest
dimensional change.
Shrinkage -0.6%
Consistencies: only two
Low putty very high
Limited shelf life due to oxidation of stannous
octoate and ethyl silicate is not stable in presence
 Hydroxyl terminated polydimethyl
siloxane

Tin compound

Crosslinking reaction
Silicone impression material

II- Addition Silicone

Base Catalyst
Polymer with Polymer with vinyl
silane group terminal groups
*Filler
*Filler *Chloroplatinic acid
 Vinyl terminated polydimethyl siloxane

(Crosslinking reaction (no byproduct

 Reaction: Ionic Polymerization
Addition type --- no by products.

If proper balance between two polymers is

not maintained → 2ry reaction occurs.
Evolution
of the hydrogen gas

→ bubbles on surface of
impression → voids in stone model.
∴ Manufacturers add finely divided Platinium
or palladium to absorb Hydrogen.
Consistencies: low medium high

light regular heavy

and a very high (putty).

 Latex or rubber gloves: containing

sulphur → cause retarded or no

polymerization of addition silicones

 Use: Vinyl gloves.
IV- Polyethers:
Base Catalyst
Polymer with ethylene Cross linking agent
Imine rings terminal as dichlorobenzene
groups. sulphonate
Silica filler
plasticizer: glycoether
phthalate
Reaction:
Cationic polymerization and opening of the imine
rings.
 Additional polymerization
exothermic 4°C
 Structure of polyether

crosslinking reaction with imine end groups

No byproduct
Consistencies: *medium consistency + thinner
in a separate tube to ↓↓ viscosity.
Recently low and high viscosity.
 Hydrophilic must not be stored in H2O or
humid atmosphere.
 Very short working time 2.5 minutes

↑↑ by thinner
 Stiff: difficult to remove from the patient’s
mouth and to separate from the cast.
Properties of elastomeric impression
materials
Setting time
Polysulphide: longest S.T 7-10 min.
↓ Condensation silicone 6-8 min.
↓ Addition silicone 6-8 min.
↓ Polyethers 3-4.5 min.
 W.T and S.T
 Decreases as viscosity increases from
low to high
 W.T and S.T ↓↓ by ↑↑ in temperature and
Dimensional Changes on Setting

Addition silicone: smallest change

-0.15%

Polyethers -0.2%

Polysulphides -0.4%

Condensation silicone: largest change

-0.6%
Causes of dimensional
:changes
Continuation of the polymerization rxn
Thermal contraction
Volatile components
Elastic Recovery from Deformation:
Addition silicone: shows the best recovery
from deformation
↓ Condensation silicone.
↓ Polyethers
↓ Polysulfies shows greatest deformation
i.e., poorest recovery.

Visco elastic
Mechanical properties are time dependent,
higher rate of deformation → higher tear
strength (sudden pull).
Detail Reproduction:

All reproduce 0.02mm wide line except

the very high viscosity 0.075mm line.

 Compatible with gypsum.

 Strain in compression
Measure of flexibility.
Low consistency more flexible than high
consistency.
 Polyethers highest stiffness Lowest strain
 Addition silicone (flexibility)
 Condensation silicone
 Polysulfides lowest Highest strain
Shore A Hardness

Highest: polyethers.

Lowest: polysulfides

Hardness and flexibility (strain) affect

the force necessary for removal of

impression from mouth.

Tear strength: withstand tearing in thin
interproximal areas.
Much higher than hydrocolloids 350-700
g/cm.
Elastomers: 2000-4000g/cm.
Polysulfides: shows the highest tear
strength.
But due to high permanent deformation
→ inaccurate impression
Double mix technique-single impression

• Syringe or light bodied material is

injected in and around preparation.

• Heavy body is mixed, inserted in tray

and placed over syringed material.

Two materials bond, set at about the

same time.
 Relining or Putty wash techniques-Double
Impression
• 1st heavy body is mixed and impression is
made before preparation in a stock tray (set
alone).
• Impression is removed from patient’s mouth.
• Heavy body act as special tray.
• Light body is mixed, placed over heavy body,
reinserted in patient’s mouth to record fine
details.
1- Automatic mixing systems (mixing
gun).
Advantages
• Uniform dispensing of catalyst and
base.
• Fewer bubbles.
• Less waste than in hand mixed.
2- Hydrophilic Addition Silicone:
Hydrophobic materials has poor
wettability: high contact angle: casts with
voids (water repellent).
In hydrophilic: surfactants (wetting
agents) added → ↓↓ contact angle, improve
wettability, simplify pouring of gypsum
models.
 Disadvantage: cannot be electroplated as
metallizing powder does not adhere to
surface of hydrophilic silicone.

3-Addition Silicone Containing Hydrogen

Absorbers

So that dies can be poured as

soon as desired without bubbles.
4- Single viscosity (Monophase) addition
silicone with sufficient shear thinning
qualities

So they can be used as both syringe and

tray material.
Decrease in viscosity at high shear stress
as during syringing or mixing, high
viscosity at low stress as when inserted
in the tray.