Impression materials:

classification and requirements.

Non-elastic impression
materials. Elastic impression
materials: hydrocolloids,
synthetic elastomers.
.
Danica Matusovits
University of Szeged, Faculty of Dentistry
Department of Prosthodontics

Szeged, 10.09.21.
 Definitions of impression materials
Impression materials are used to make
an accurate replica of the morphological
constituents of the oral cavity or models
made in the dental laboratory for
fabricating dental devices.
The impression is a negative reproduction
of these structures and by filling it with
dental stone (gypsum based plaster) or
other model material: epoxy-resin,
galvanic metal) a positive cast is made.
 Definition of impression
 The impression material is carried to
the mouth in plastic condition and applied
to the area to be reproduced and after
setting it becomes solid retaining the
negative form of the structures to which
it was applied.
The change of the plastic to solid
(brittle or elastic) state of the
impression material proceeds by chemical
or physicochemical processes.
 Some historical data relating to
impression materials

1756: Wax (natural origin)

1840: Plaster of Paris (gypsum product)
1850: Guttapercha
1857: Stent's composite (thermoplastic)
1874: White's composite (thermoplastic)
 Some historical data relating to
impression materials

1931: Hydrocolloids
1933: Zinc oxide-eugenol
1940: Alginate
1950: Elastomers
-Polysulfids
-Polyethers
-Silicones
 Some historical data relating to
impression materials

1976: Silicones
Condesation type
Addition type
1978: Elastomer's in different consistencies:
 low consistency (wash and extra light)
 medium consistency
 heavy and very heavy puttylike consistencies
Desirable properties of the impression
materials

 Biological compatibility
(free from toxic or irritant effects)
 Capability to change from plastic to solid state in
clinically adequate time period (some minutes)
 Accuracy in detail reproduction
 Dimensional stability while
• setting
• during removal from mouth
• the period of storage and model making
Desirable properties of the impression
materials
 Compatibility with cast and die materials
 Desinfection without loss of accuracy
 Elastic properties with freedom from
permanent deformation after strain
 Dimensional stability over temperature and
humidity
 Satisfactory consistency and texture
 Adequate strength which means it will not
break or tear during removal from the mouth
 The most important properties of
impression materials from the view of
clinical appliance
Processability
• homogenity of materials
• application time
Consistency
• suitable for the purpose of application
Stability and Elasticity
• permanent deformation
• flexible deformation
 The most important properties of
impression materials from the view of
clinical appliance
Dimensional stability
• volumen changing during setting
• during removal of the mouth
• flexible deformation
Accuracy in detail reproduction
Compaltibility with cast and die materials
Capability of desinfection
 Factors that influances the accuracy of
impression materials
The material should be fluid/pseudoplastic on
insertion
Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic properties
‚Wetting’ of the impression surface
when making (pouring) the cast /Contact angle/
 Adequate elastic properties
 Adequate tear resistance
 Rigidity
 Thermal (heat) difference between the mouth
and the room temperature
 10˚C difference – thermal expansion!
 Shrinkage or expansion during setting:
o Can result oversized or undersized
crowns as a consequence of the oversized
or undersized casts
 Dimensional stability during
storage and transportation of
impressions
Elastic material – needs time after
withdrawing the impression to allow
elastic recovery
Thermoplastic material – internal
stress during the cooling can result
distortion (the material attempts to
relieve internal stresses)
The appliance of impression materials
relating to time
Working time Setting time

proportioning and mixing

(2-3 minutes)
insertion into the mouth
(1-3 minutes)
setting
(2-3 minutes)
storage
(hours, days)
Physical and chemical processes leading to
change from plastic to solid state of
impression materials

Change of temperature
(warming → softening, cooling → solidification)

without structural with structural change

change
(sol → gel)
(gelatine,
(waxes, resins) thermoplastic
hydrocolloids)
Physical and chemical processes leading to
change from plastic to solid state of
impression materials

Change of crystal structure

(dehidration → hemihidrate, rehidration → dihidrate)

Gypsum products
(plaster of Paris → dental stone)
Physical and chemical processes leading to
change from plastic to solid state of
impression materials

Chemical
reactions

Salt formation Chelate Polimerisation

(alginate) formation (zinc (elastomers,
oxide-eugenol) resins)
 Constituents of the impression
materials
Base material
• secures the change of state from plastic to
solid
• can be composed of several components
Filling materials
• regulating the consistency
• colouring
• flavouring
Classification of impression materials
(Eichner,1988.)

IRREVERSIBLE REVERSIBLE

Elastic Brittle Elastic Brittle

Alginate Gypsum Hidrocolloid Composites
Elastomers Zinc-oxide-eugenol (Agar-agar) Thermoplastic
Resins Waxes
Guttapercha
Classification of the impression materials
concerning their clinical use

Brittle (solid,nonelastic) materials

Irreversible Reversible
•Gypsum products •Guttapercha
•Zinc oxide- eugenol •Thermoplastic
•Resins •Composites
•Waxes
 Classification of the impression
materials concerning their clinical use

Elastic materials

Irreversible Reversible
•Alginate •Thermoplastic
hydrocolloid
•Elastomers
(gelatine)
Agar-agar
 Irreversible brittle impression
materials
Gypsum products
Base material:
Calcium-sulfate hemihidrate
(CaSO4.1/2H2O α or β crystal modification) 90 %
Filling materials:
Na2SO4, K2SO4, terra alba
Gum arabic, CaO 10 %
Packing: powder
Mixing: with water
Setting reaction: recrystallisation
 Gypsum products

β-hemihydrate

α-hemihydrate
 Gypsum products
Setting reaction

 hydration reaction
 quick, exothermic, setting expansion
 CaSO4 · ½ H2O + 1 ½ H2O
crystallization CaSO4 · 2 H2O
 100g powder + 60 ml water - mixed in a
flexible bowl with a spatula

Visible signs:

1. Dissolution - light surface → fluid

2. Colloidal state - matt surface → paste
3. Crystal formation - solid → hardening
4. Breaks with a special sound

Influence on the setting time

and expansion:

 water/powder ratio
 spatulation time
 temperature
 Gypsum products
 Properties:

• Excellent at recording fine detail (because very fluid when inserted in

mouth)
• Dimensionally stable if antiexpansion solution used
• Fractures if undercuts present
• Mucostatic
• Needs to be treated with a separating medium (e.g. varnish or soap
solution) before being cast in stone or plaster
• Exothermic setting reaction
• On storage dimensionally stable but a small amount of shrinkage may
occur
• Non toxic but may be unpleasant due to dryness and heat evolved
during setting

 Advantages:
• Good surface detail
• Excellent dimensional stability
• Rate of the setting reaction can be controlled by the clinician

 Disadvantages:
• Properties affected by operator handling technique
• Taste and roughness may cause the patient to vomit
Irreversible brittle impression materials

Zinc oxide-eugenol
Zinc oxide impression paste Eugenol paste
Zno oil of cloves or
Zn-acetate linseed oil
MgCl2 gum rosin
mineral oil

Filling materials: talk or caolin

Packing: 2 tubes of paste
Mixing: mixture of the 2 tubes
Setting: chemical reaction: chelate formation
(ZnO- eugenolate)
 Zinc oxide-eugenol
 PROPERTIES:
• Non toxic
• Adherence to tissues
• Mucostatic or mucocodisplacive
(depending on brand used)
• Good surface detail in thin section
• Good dimensional stability (little or
no dimensional change on setting,
0.1% dimensional change during
setting)
• Can be added to with fresh zinc
oxide eugenol
• Stable on storage and good shelf
life

 ADVANTAGES:
1. Dimensional stability
2. Good surface detail
3. Mucostatic or mucocodisplacive

 DISADVANTAGES:
1. Cannot be used in very deep
undercuts
2. Only sets quickly in thin section
3. Eugenol allergy in some patients
 Irreversible brittle impression
materials

Resins
Base materials:
-ground powder of polymethyl methacrylate
-inhibitor neutralizing material
Liquid:
-methyl methacrylate monomer
-inhibitor material of polymerization
-softening material ( promotion of „remaining
soft”)
Packing: powder and solution
Mixing: dropping of the solution to the powder
Setting: chemical reaction - polimerization
Reversible brittle impression materials
Thermoplastic composites
Type I: softens at mouth temperature (37° C)
(copper ring impression)
Type II: softens at 45° C (green stick)

Components:
Plastic materials: approx. 30-35%
shellac, syntetic resins, copal resin,
mastix, kolofomium, szandarak
Elastic and softening materials: approx. 5-6%
carnabua wax
stearic acid
Filling materials: approx. 55-60%
talc
Colouring materials: approx. 1%
Packing: sticks
Use: warming - cooling
 Impression compound- Thermoplastic
composites

Dental application
used for impression taking
• sheet (black, brown, red)
-primary impressions for
complete dentures,
-copper ring impressions
 green stick
border trimming material
 Impression compound- Thermoplastic
composites
 PROPERTIES:
• Poor surface detail
• High coefficient of thermal expansion (contraction of up to 0.3% when removed
from mouth to room temperature)
• Distorts when removed over undercut areas
• Hardens in the mouth in suitable time
• Mucodisplacive
• Poor dimensional stability
• Can be modified by re-heating
• Tray borders can be progressively developed with greenstick
• During manipulation internal stresses can be set up
• Non toxic and non irritant
• Good shelf life
 ADVANTAGES:
1. Non irritant and non toxic
2. Reusable (but with re-use the constituents are leached out)
3. Can be reheated and readapted
4. Can support other materials for wash impressions
5. Mucocompressive
 DISADVANTAGES:
1. Poor dimensional stability
2. Poor surface detail
3. Expansion coefficient
4. Will distort if removed from undercuts
Reversible brittle impression materials

Guttapercha

Components:
guttapercha approx. 60%
resins approx. 25%
filling materials approx. 15%
Packing: sheets or sticks
Use: warming – cooling
temporary fillings-inlay
Secondary impression
Reversible brittle impression materials
Waxes
 Origin of waxes
-mineral wax –
obtained from petroleum distillation
-paraffin wax –
brittle at room temperature
melting temperature: 48-70 °C
-microcrystalline wax – less brittle
melting temperature: 65-90 °C
-animal wax (beeswax)
adding to paraffin wax → less
brittle
-vegetable wax
-carnauba wax: derived from palm
tree
-candenilla wax: derived from plants
 Dental application
of waxes
 modeling wax (rose)
 inlay wax (blue, green)
 sticky wax (yellow)
 baseplate wax
 border trimming impression wax
 undercut wax

 Properties:
• Waxes are thermoplastic materials,
which flow at mouth temperature
and are soft a room temperature.
They do not set by chemical
reaction. Normally used to correct
small imperfection (e.g. airblows) in
other impressions, especial zinc
oxide impressions.
• A cast should be poured up
immediately after taking the
impression to avoid distortion which
readily occurs in wax.

Because of easy deformation

not used as impression material!
Reversible elastic impression materials
Hydrocolloids (Agar-agar)

A colloid is a state of matter in which individual particles of one substance,

are uniformly distributed in a dispersion medium of another substance.
When the dispersion medium is water it is termed a hydrocolloid. The
colloid is relatively fluid when the solute particles present are dispersed
throughout the liquid. This is called a sol. Alternatively, the particles can
become attached to each other, forming a loose network which restricts
movement of the solute molecules. The colloid becomes viscous and jelly
like, and is called a gel. Some colloids have the ability to change
reversibly from the sol state to the gel state.

Components:
water: approx. 75%
Agar-agar: approx. 10%
filling materials: approx. 15%
kaolin, potassium sulfate, alkyl benzoate,
borax
Packing: in tube
Use: warming - cooling
 Irreversible elastic impression
materials
Alginate
Base materials:
Potassium alginate 14%
Calcium sulfate 10%
Sodium phosphate 1%
Filling materials:
Diatomaeous earth 73%
Pigments (colouring materials) 1%
Use: mixing with tap-water
Packing: powder
Mixing of alginate
Powder : Water = 1 : 3 in a flexible bowl with a curved, rigid spatula

 Container of powder should be shaken before use to get an even distribution

of constituents. Powder and water should be measured to manufactures
instructions. Water at room temperature should be used, this gives a
reasonable working time of a couple of minutes.
 On mixing the powder with water a sol is formed, a chemical reaction takes
place and a gel is formed.
 Dimensionally unstable
syneresis (H2O loss from the surface)
shrinkage → impression should be cast in 15 minutes, or stored in hygrofor
(nowadays there are alginates which can be stored longer than 15 minutes)
 Do not adhere to the impression tray – adhesives, or perforated trays

 pH changes during setting - chromatic alginates

 Alginate
 PROPERTIES:
• Good surface detail
• Reaction is faster at higher temperatures
• Elastic enough to be drawn over the undercuts, but tears over the
deep undercuts
• Not dimensionally stable on storing due to evaporation
• Non toxic and non irritant
• Setting time can depend on technique
• Alginate powder is unstable on storage in presence of moisture or in
warm temperatures

 ADVANTAGES:
1. Non toxic and non irritant
2. Good surface detail
3. Ease of use and mix
4. Cheap and good shelf life
5. Setting time can be controlled with temperature of water used

 DISADVANTAGES:
1. Poor dimensional stability
2. Incompatibility with some dental stones
3. Setting time very dependent on operator handling
4. Messy to work with
 Synthetic elastomers
Elastic impression materials:
These materials can be stretched and bent to a fairly large degree
without suffering any deformation. These are used for recording
the patient's mouth where undercuts are present. Usually used for
partial dentures, overdentures, implants and crown and bridge
work.

 Synthetic elastomers:
-Polysulphides
-Polyethers
-Silicone rubbers: -condensation curing type
- addition curing type
 Polysulphide elastomers - Irreversible elastic
impression materials
Composition :
supplied as two pastes
base paste: liquid polysulphide 55%
fillers (ZnSO4, TiO2) 44%
perfume 1%
activator paste: lead-dioxide 10% causes (setting)
colloidal sulfur 1% polymerization

oleic and stearic acid 2% stabilizes

fillers (ZnSO4, TiO2) 50% setting
inert oil 37% characteristics

Mixing should continue until a streak-free mass is obtained

 During setting reaction terminal hydrogen atoms of the
liquid polisulfide are oxidized by the lead dioxide with a
resultant increase in the degree of polymerization

!do not adhere to impression tray-adhesives: rubber solution

in acetone
!lead dioxide may have toxic effect-alternative oxidizing
systems

types: heavy bodied

regular
light bodied
 Polysulphide elastomers
PROPERTIES:
• Dimensional stability
• Excellent surface detail (is only used in special trays)
• Viscosity depends on the brand used
• Very small setting contraction (0.3-0.4% over the first 24 hrs)
• Contraction on cooling from mouth to room temperature
• Very good tear resistance
• Good shelf life
• Viscoelastic
ADVANTAGES:
• Dimensional stability
• Accuracy
• Comes in a number of different viscosities
• Long working time (although this may be a disadvantage in some clinical situations)
• Long shelf life
DISADVANTAGES:
• Lead oxide in base paste may have toxic effects
• Staining of clothes due to the lead oxide
• Messy to work with - unpleasant rubbery smell
• Can only be used in a special tray
Polyether elastomers- Irreversible elastic
impression materials

Composition:
supplied as two pastes
base paste:
liquid polyether
fillers
inert oils
activator paste:
sulphonic acid esther in hydrocarbons
fillers

During setting reaction cross linking reaction occurs.

 Polyether elastomers
 Impregum™ Penta™ Soft Heavy
Body/Light Body Impression
Material
Polyether precision impression
material that is accurate and
hydrophilic, resulting in
outstanding detail even in a moist
environment
 Impregum™ Penta™ Soft Medium
Body Impression Material,
Polyether precision impression
material medium viscosity and is
intended for use in the
monophase technique.

A popular
polyether
impression
material,
Impregum (Espe
GmbH,
Germany), was
the first
elastomer to be
developed
specifically for
use in dentistry
and introduced
in the late
1970s.
Polyether elastomers
Polyether impression materials
tend to have a fast setting
time of less than 5 minutes.
In contrast to polysulphides, they
undergo an addition cured
polymerisation reaction on
setting which has no reaction
by-product resulting in a
material with very good
dimensional stability.
High force when removing from
mouth.
The set material may however
swell and distort because of
the absorption of water on
storage in conditions of high
humidity. Impressions should
therefore be stored dry.
Do not adhere to impression
tray-special adhesives!
 Polyether elastomers
 PROPERTIES:
• Hydrophilic (absorbs water)
• Good shelf life of up to 2 years
• Good elastic recovery
• Non toxic
• Low setting contraction
• Low tear strength
• Excellent surface detail
• Good dimensional stability

 ADVANTAGES:
• Accuracy
• Good on undercuts
• Ease of use

 DISADVANTAGES:
• May cause allergic reaction due to the sulphonic acid ester
• Poor tear strength
• Rapid setting time (short working time)
• Stiff set material (sometimes hard to remove from mouth)
 Silicone elastomers
 Polymers of silicone and oxygen atoms → polysiloxane
 Elastic properties can be obtained by cross linking and addition
of the long chains
 Viscosity types: high viscosity - heavy bodied, putty
regular viscosity - intermediate flow
low viscosity - light bodied
very low viscosity - light bodied
Condensation cured silicones
• polysiloxane chains are terminated with
silanol, dibutilyn dilaurate catalyst
present
• during setting, condensation reaction
occurs and the byproduct is alcohol
- Supplied as a paste and
liquid or two pastes, in
light, medium, heavy
or very heavy bodied
(putty).
-do not adhere to
impression tray-
adhesive solutions!
 Condensation cured silicones
 PROPERTIES:
• Hydrophobic
• Hydrogen gas evolution on setting
• Moderate shelf life
• Moderate tear strength
• Good surface detail
• Shrinking of impression over time
• Non toxic and non irritant
• Very elastic (near ideal)

 ADVANTAGES:
• Accurate
• Ease of use
• Can be used on severe undercuts

 DISADVANTAGES:
• Hydrogen evolution
• Liquid component of paste/liquid system may cause irritation
• Due to moderate tear strengh the accuacy is not the best
 Addition cured silicones
• During setting, addition reaction
occurs
• Platinic compound catalyst present
• no byproduct
• no polymerization contraction
 Supplied in 2 pastes or in a
gun and cartridge form as
-light, medium, heavy and very
heavy bodied.
 On mixing, in equal
proportions, crosslinking
occurs to form a silicone
rubber. Setting occurs in
about 3-5 minutes.
 !do not adhere to impression
tray-adhesive solutions!
!expensive
 Addition cured silicones
 PROPERTIES:
• Good shelf life
• Dimensionally stable
• Moderate tear strength
• Excellent surface detail
• No gas evolution
• Non toxic and non irritant

 ADVANTAGES:
• Accurate
• Ease of use
• Fast setting
• Wide range of viscosities

 DISADVANTAGES:
• Hard to mix
• Sometimes difficult to remove the impression from the
mouth
• Too accurate in some circumstances (cast produced is not
sufficiently oversized)
Linear dimensional changes of various impression materials
in percentage
Shrinkage on setting Shrinkage on
in % storage (24 h) in %

Gypsum !expansion →0.1-0.2 ~ 0.0

ZnO-eugenol <0.15 0.1-0.2
Thermoplastic composites 0.2-1.2 < 0.1

Thermoplastic 0.1-0.5 >5

hidrocolloids

Alginate 0.1-0.5 >5

Polysulfides ~0.2 0.2-0.4
Polyether ~0.2 0.2
Condensation silicones 0.2-0.4 0.2-1.2

Addition silicones ~ 0.1 <0.1