ELASTIC IMPRESSION MATERIAL

MENNATULLAH KHALIL
 ELASTIC IMPRESSION MATERIALS

Hydrocolloids Elastomers

Alginate Agar Polysulphide Polyether

Silicon

Addition Condensation
 Types of mixtures

1. Solution:
✔ Solute dissolved in solvent
✔ Single phase
✔ Homogenous mixture
2. Suspension
✔ Dispersed phase and dispersion medium.
✔ 2 phases
✔ Heterogeneous mixture.
✔ Separates after some time.
3. Colloids
✔ Dispersed and dispersion phases
✔ Dispersed particles are smaller than in
suspension
✔ The particles remain dispersed although
they are insoluble
✔ Heterogeneous mixture
✔ When the dispersion medium is water they
are called hydrocolloids.
✔ Colloids may exist in sol or gel state.
✔ Agglomeration of molecules of the dispersed
phase is due to either reduction in
temperature or chemical reaction.

Agglomeration

Sol Gel
“Viscous liquid”

During this process, particles

dispersed in the liquid phase
stick to each other, and
spontaneously form clusters
or aggregates.
 Sol Gel
Hydrocolloid Agglomerate
Chemical rx
Sol Gel

Physical rx

Hydrocolloid
impression Soft outside the Hard inside the
materials patients mouth patients mouth
 General properties of hydrocolloids
1- Gel Strength:
a- Concentration of fibrils
b- Concentration of fillers
c- Temperature
2- Dimensional changes after setting
a- Synersis loosing water (evaporation or extruding)
b- Imbibition gaining water

Synersis Imbibition
3- Disinfection by spraying glutaraldehyde or wrapped
the impression with soaked paper for 10 min
4- Compatibility with Gypsum:
incompatible chalky surface

To overcome this problem:

1. Immerse the impression in a gypsum accelerator, before
pouring the gypsum.
2. Incorporating a plaster hardener in the impression material.
 Reversible hydrocolloids
Agar impression material
1.Form of supply:
✔ Gel in a sealed container
✔ Collapsible tube
2. Application:
✔ Full mouth impression
✔ Quadrant impression
✔ Duplicating material
3. Composition
a. Agar 13-15%: Dispersed phase
b. Borax 0.2%: Strength Viscosity Setting of gypsum cast
c. Potassium sulfate 2%: Counteracts the effect of borax on gypsum.
d. Water 83%: Dispersion medium
e. Fillers: Strength Viscosity Rigidity
4. Setting mechanism Agar melts at 100°C
43° and solidifies from
40-43 °C. this
difference in
100°
liquefaction and
gelation temperatures
is known as
“hysteresis”. 
5. Manipulation
Agar is placed in a heating machine to change it from gel to
sol.
It is stored in sol form.
It is placed on a special tray with cooling tubes
In the patents mouth it is cooled from base of the tray to the
inside to change from sol to gel.
 Manipulation:
❑ armamentarium
It requires special equipments:
1. Hydrocolloid conditioner.
❖ 1st compartment [boiling or liquefaction] ten minutes at 100°C
❖ 2nd compartment [storage] store in water at 65°C until use
❖ 3rd compartment [conditioning or tempering] 46°C for two minutes with
material loaded in tray
2. Water cooled trays. [Perforated]??

o The temp of water should not be

less than 13°C thermal stresses distortion

o The thickness of the impression should not

be less than 4 mm ??????

o The tray should be removed with a sharp snap

motion & parallel to the long axis of the tooth ??????

o Should be poured immediately or it can be stored

In 100% humidity for max 1 hour ??????
Poor dimensional stability Synersis
Application: Imbibition
❖Full & quadrant impression for partially or
completely edentulous patients.(Secondary)
❖Duplicating material.
 heating Storage Tempering
Manipulation of Agar –Agar
1-Heating : material is brought Gel Sol Sol
to fluid state by heating tube
100oC for 10-15 min then
stored at 60oC water
2-Tempering or conditing tray
is loaded & tempered at
45oC for minimum 2 min
Cooling is important to
avoid pt. burning
Thin layer which is directed
toward water should be
removed.
3- Setting (water cooled perforated trays )
Gelation accelerator
a- spraying cold water
b-water cooled tray 20oC not less than 13oC to avoid
developing of thermal stresses within the material.
4- removal sharp snap removal to avoid
in-acuracing due to viscosity material

5- pouring immediate or store in 100% humidity

(humidetor)
6- first layer to set is the one facing tray material
facing tissue stay liquid for sufficient time to record
time details
6. Properties:
1. Accuracy
a. Flow : Sufficiently fluid to record fine details. The material in contact
with the tissues is the last to solidify therefore it can flow and
compensate any inaccuracies due to dimensional changes on setting.
b. Elasticity: Viscoelastic Sharp snap removal to reduce the
amount of permanent deformation.
----------------------------------------------Elasticity
98.8%-----------------------------------------------------------
c. Dimensional accuracy: Accurate
d. Dimensional stability on storage: Avoid synersis and
imbibition by immediate casting (max 30-60 min and stored in 100%
humidity).
e. Compatibility with tray: Should be used with perforated tray
for retention of the gel.
f. Compatibility with cast: Dip in 2% potassium sulfate solution
before pouring the gypsum to avoid softening of the model.
2. Mechanical properties
Thickness 4-6 mm because tear strength is low
3. Biologically acceptable
4. Shelf life
Good in a sealed container
5. Manipulation
Requires special equipment
6. Cant be electroplated
 Irreversible hydrocolloids
Alginate impression material
1.Form of supply:
Powder and water
✔ Full mouth impression
✔ Quadrant impression
3. Composition
a. Soluble salt of alginic acid 12%: e.g. K or ammonium alginate. It
reacts with calcium ions to give calcium alginate gel.
b. Calcium sulfate 12%: Releases calcium ions to react with alginate.
“Reactor”
c. Trisodium phosphate 2%: It reacts with calcium to give calcium
phosphate to delay gel formation. “Retarder”
d. Filler 70%: Strength
e. Fluoride: Improves setting of gypsum.
f. Flavoring agents
g. Chemical indicator
4. Setting mechanism
▪ On mixing the powder with water, a sol is formed.
▪ The following reaction occurs to form an elastic gel of calcium
alginate.
“Gelation reaction”

Potassium alginate + Calcium sulfate Potassium sulfate + Calcium alginate

(gel)

Reaction to increase working time “Delaying reaction”

Trisodium phosphate + Calcium sulfate Sodium sulfate + Calcium phosphate

▪ No substantial quantity of calcium alginate gel is formed

until the trisodium phosphate is used up i.e. when the
retarder is consumed the calcium salt begins to react with the
potassium alginate.
5. Manipulation
✔ Mix powder and water.
✔ The temperature of the water affects the setting time.
✔ Use a perforated tray.
✔ Load the tray with 4-6mm of alginate.
✔ Remove tray using sharp snap removal.
6. Properties:
1. Accuracy
a. Flow : High flow can record details
b. Elasticity: Viscoelastic Sharp snap removal to reduce the amount of
permanent deformation. ---------------------------------------------------Elasticity
97.3%------------------------------------------------------
c. Dimensional accuracy: During gelation the impression should not be
moved. The reaction is faster at higher temperatures, and so the material in
contact with the tissues sets first. Any pressure on the gel due to movement of
the tray will stress the material, which will distort the alginate after its removal
from the mouth.
d. Dimensional stability on storage: should be poured immediately
due to synersis and imbibition.
e. Compatibility with tray: needs perforated tray.
f. Compatibility with cast: compatible with cast but should be removed
immediately after drying to cast to avoid softening of gypsum surface.
2. Mechanical properties
Thickness 4-6 mm because tear strength is low
3. Biologically acceptable
4. Setting time
Depends on the temperature of the water and
trisodium phosphate
4. Shelf life
Affected by high temperatures or presence of moisture.
6. Cant be electroplated