Introduction to Impression Materials

Dr. Jojo Quinitio

Dental Materials Lecture
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the lecture, the student must be able to
1. Define what a dental impression is

2. Enumerate the characteristic of an ideal impression material

3. Classify the different impression materials used in dentistry

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What is an Impression?
• A dental impression is defined as the
negative record of the tissues of the
mouth.

• It is used to reproduce the form of the

teeth and surrounding tissues in a
positive copy called the dental cast

• Impression material is any material or a

combination of materials used for making
an impression

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Uses of Impression Materials
Used in the fabrication of:
1. Indirect restorations: Crowns & bridges
2. Dental prosthetics/dentures
3. Temporary crowns
4. Orthodontic & Dental appliances
5. Acrylic trays
6. Bite registration
7. Study models

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Requirement of an Impression Material
• Fluid enough to flow around area of interest
• Must “set” in reasonable amount of time
• Can remove from mouth without distortion
• No harmful effects on tissues
• Relatively tasteless & odorless
• Dimensionally stable until a cast is created
• Give detailed reproduction
• Compatible with cast materials (gypsum)

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Impression Trays
• Used to carry the material to patient’s mouth

• Must be sturdy enough to support the material

• Need to be disposable or sterilizable after use

• Metallic trays are autoclavable (can be sterilized)

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• Stock trays available: full arch, quadrant

• Custom trays are made of acrylic for a particular patient

• Triple trays takes impression of opposing teeth, occlusal registration,

and prep site

• Perforated trays have holes for retention of material

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Classification of Impression Materials
INELASTIC ELASTIC

• Rigid • Flexible & “rubbery”

• Cannot be used with undercuts
• For edentulous cases or bite
registration
• Used with undercuts (dentulous
patients)
• Generally used today
• Two subcategories:
a. Hydrocolloids (Aqueous)
b. Elastomers (rubber
impression)

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Types of Dental Impressions (for use)
1. Preliminary impression
2. Final impression
3. Bite registration

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• Preliminary impressions – accurate reproduction of a patient’s
mouth. This type of impressions is usually used to construct study
models for the diagnosis, documentation of dental arches, and as a
visual aid for education

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• Final impressions have the exact details of the tooth structures and
their surrounding tissues. They are used to make casts and dies with
the precise details of the tooth structures and their surrounding
tissues. The casts and dies are utilized by dental laboratory
technicians for the construction of crowns, bridges, dentures, and
other restorations

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• Bite registrations are used to document the occlusal relationship
between arches which is essential when establishing the articulation
of maxillary and mandibular casts

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