IMPRESSION MATERIALS
composition.
• Are used to form replicas or copies of teeth and
other oral structures.
• The impression is a negative reproduction while
the model or cast is the positive reproduction.
o Once impression making is done, the
gypsum products now can be poured
and come up with a model cast
• Objective is to copy accurately the teeth and
other structures in the oral cavity.
Requirements of Good Impression Material
• Good flow property
o Should reach even the deepest area of
oral cavity
• Good dimensional stability (don’t shrink or
expand after setting)
• Reasonable cost
• Easy to manipulate
• Biocompatible
• Should have adhesive property
• Compatible with the cast
• Good storage life
• Palatable taste
• Appropriate setting time
• No toxic agents
• Enough strength to withstand withdrawal from
the patient’s mouth
Setting Mechanism
• Impression materials can set by means of
reversible or irreversible reactions.
• Irreversible Reaction implies that chemical
reaction had occurred and that the material
cannot revert to its present state, example:
alginate, ZOE impression paste, impression
plaster and elastomeric impression materials.
o For example, the alginate which is in
powdered form, once mixed with water
there will be a chemical reaction and
once the material sets, you cannot
return it back to its original condition.
• Reversible materials softened under heat and
solidify when they are cooled, with no chemical
change taking place, example reversible
hydrocolloid and impression compound.
o For example, once the modeling
compound is manipulated and have
been set, it still has the same
Impression Trays
• Are appliance used to reach the patient’s mouth
• Kinds of trays:
1. Stock Tray – used for modelling compound
for preliminary impression. It is commonly
used for edentulous cases.
• Once you already have the negative
copy (impression), you need to
come up with the cast and the
gypsum that will be used in this
particular case is the plaster of Paris.
Once the plaster of Paris is poured
and set, you now have the
preliminary cast/diagnostic cast
Materials used:
Stock tray, Modeling
compound, Plaster of
Paris = Preliminary
cast/ diagnostic cast
2. Perforated Tray – used when impression
materials do not adhere to the tray.
• It’s a metal tray with perforations
• The purpose of these perforations is
for the material to adhere to the
tray, so that it will stick, it also serves
as retention form.
• It is normally used for preliminary
impression in cases of doing crowns,
bridges, Removable Partial Denture,
restoration procedures and also for
final impression.
Materials Used:
Alginate or rubber
impression material
(condensation silicon)
3. Rim-Lock Tray
• Basically, it is made of metal but
unlike the perforated tray, the rim-
lock tray doesn’t have perforation
 • It has a very thin elevated metal on
the palatal area as well as on its
edges of the tray
• The elevated metal will serve as a
lock when placing an impression
material. It will retain the material
inside the tray
4. Individual Tray – custom built; self-made,
used in final impression for study cast;
cannot be used on other patients.
• It is usually used to come up with
final impression.
• Used in complete denture
fabrication.
• The cast that you’re going to do with
this case is the master cast or
working casts.
• The gypsum that will be poured is
the dental stone.
• From stock tray, using modeling
compound and plaster of Paris, you
came up with diagnostic cast. Then
the individual tray will be
constructed from this diagnostic
cast by putting an outline.
• There are three materials that can
be used to come up with an
individual tray:
1. Shellac base plate
2. Type II modelling compound
3. Resin (either self-curing acrylic
resin or visible light-curing resin)
5. Water-Cooled – used for agar impression
• It’s a specialized tray that are
normally used in agar impression
material.
6. Disposable Tray – made of plastic
• It can be adjusted by heating it and
softening the edges of the tray to fit
in the patient’s mouth.
Types of Impression Taking
• Single Impression – only one material will be
used all throughout the procedure.
• Double impression – with the use of the rubber
impression material
o Preliminary impression – with the use of
putty (a clay like consistency material)
that will be manipulated and will be
pasted in the impression tray to make
impression. Once done with first
impression it should be washed with
water to remove debris.
o Final impression/secondary “wash” –
another layer of material called wash or
light body (a rubber impression material
that has paste-like consistency) will be
used here
▪ More accurate
▪ Corrects the defect of
preliminary impression
Classification of Impression Materials According to • K2SO4 – speed up setting time (3-5 mins.)
Manner of Setting • Potato Starch
o Makes the plaster “soluble”
• Thermoset
o Helps in separating cast and impression
o Set with chemical reaction
material when submerged in hot water
o Irreversible
(soluble plaster swells when placed in
o Examples are soluble plaster, ZOE,
hot water)
alginate, irreversible hydrocolloid
• Coloring Materials
• Thermoplastic
o Helps in interpreting the impression
o Set with change in temperature
o Provides ease in reading the impression
o Reversible
o For easy identification of impression
o Examples are modelling compound,
from cast
wax, agar
• Flavoring Material
Classification On Impression Materials According to • For palatability
Mechanical Properties
Methods of Cast Construction
• Rigid/Inelastic (thermoset)
1. Boxing Method
o Used for taking secondary impression
• Place a 1” wax strip around the tray and seal
o Used for edentulous patients (no
it and make sure that the wax is properly
undercuts)
wrapped on the surfaces of the tray so that
o Manner of Withdrawal: teasing
the gypsum will not be escaped when
movement
poured.
• Elastic
• Pour a cast material on tray and level it to
o For dentulous patients (for undercuts)
the wax.
o Hydrocolloid
o There are cases sometimes that the
▪ Reversible – agar
wax needs to be trimmed. If you will
▪ Irreversible – alginate
not trim the wax then just make sure
o Rubber Impression Materials
not to excessively fill the tray with
(Elastomers)
gypsum so that you won’t exceed to
▪ Polysulfides, Polyethers,
the maximum thickness that is
Silicone: condensation and
around 2.5 inches.
addition
• Let it set, remove the wax and separate the
o Manner of Withdrawal: sudden pull,
cast after setting
snap jerk
▪ Parallel to the long axes of the
teeth
o After impression making, wash it in
running water to remove saliva, blood
(for patients with periodontal problem)
and food debris 2. Inversion Method
▪ Presence of such substances can • Pour cast material on tray
alter the accuracy of the cast • Pour the excess on a glass slab or on the tiled
o After washing, shake off excess water working table
o Optional; put some separating medium • Invert the impression tray on slab or table
before cast construction: varnish, o Make sure to support the
soapsuds, lacquer impression tray with material until it
sets
Composition of Soluble/Impression Plaster • Scrape flowing cast material towards the
• 80% Plaster of Paris (ß-hemihydrate) tray to form the base and smoothen the
surface
 3. Rubber Base Former Cross Section through Cast Master
• It is like a container
• It is like an inversion method but instead of
inverting on a slab or table, invert it on a
rubber base former.

Properties of Good Cast

• No porosities or no nodules (no bubble

formation)
o That is why, washing the impression
material is very important to
prevent alteration on the cast like Outline of Bases for Trimmed Casts Follow the contour
holes or elevated stone (nodules) of the ridges, with rounded angles
that will make your cast inaccurate.
o If the holes are small, you can still
coat it with alginate.
o However, if the holes or nodules are
big, you have to repeat the
impression making
• No distortion: copy accordingly the given
impression
• Dimensionally stable
Impression Compound
Trimming
• Also called modeling compound, is supplied in
• Make sure the model is moist during trimming, the form of cake and sticks.
so that debris from the trimmer does not attach
• This compound is softened by heat, inserted in
to the cast. Soak the model by immersing it in
an impression tray (stock tray), and place against
slurry water, or by allowing just the base of cast
tissue before it cools to a rigid mass.
to contact clear tap water. Prolonged immersion
• Its primary indication for use has been making an
in tap water can lead to erosion of the cast.
impression of the edentulous ridge.
o Cast trimmer - rotary flat grinder used to
trim dental plaster or stone casts Types of Impression Compound
• Cast should be minimum of 10-12mm (.5 inch) in
• Type I
thinnest part
o True impression compound
• Trim the base on the model trimmer parallel to
o Has high flow property
ridges.
o For preliminary impression
• Leave the mucous membrane reflection intact
for making a custom tray
• The casts should have the following contours
and dimensions:
o For Master casts, impressions are boxed
and trimmed with a 3mm wide by 3mm
deep land area to aid in processing of
acrylic. For diagnostic casts used for
making custom trays, the land area
should be omitted so that the tray • Type II
material is easier to trim and remove o Tray compound
from the cast o More rigid
o For individual tray
Components of Modeling Compound Manipulation

• Beeswax and Thermoplastic Resin • Moist Heat Method

o Responsible for thermoplastic property o Use of water bath 50-70°C
• Shellac, Gutta Percha, Stearic Acid o Get the modeling compound (cake form)
o Act as plasticizer which can improve o Immerse the modeling compound in the
workability water bath
• French Chalk, Talc, Diatomaceous Earth Fillers ▪ In the clinic, the students are
o Hardening agents, improve the strength advised to place a cloth or table
• Coloring Pigments and Flavoring Agent napkin on the plastic container
so that the modeling compound
Types of Modeling Compound will not stick on the container
• Cake Form ▪ Because of poor thermal
• Stick Form conductivity or poor heat
• Cone Form transfer, the outer surface
softens while the inner surface
remains hard
o Knead with fingers to expose the inner
layer
o Repeat until the modeling compound is
homogenously soft inside and out.
Uses of Modeling Compound ▪ Once done with the
manipulation of modeling
• Cake Form: used for full arch impression during
compound, you can now put it in
preliminary impression.
the tray and make impression
• Stick Form: used for single tooth impression
▪ However before putting in the
known as impression tube with the use of copper
patient’s mouth, you should
band (matrix band).
check it if it’s hot or not to avoid
o Cylinder in shape, open on both ends
accidents (burning patient’s
o Come in different sizes – to conform
mouth)
with different teeth
▪ After you check, if you think it’s
o Should fit the tooth properly
still hot, get a rubber bowl with
• Used to make individual tray
water and immerse the
• Used to border molds compound to cool it down, this
o Incases wherein the rim of the tray is is to avoid accidents.
very short
• Dry Heat Method
o Makes the rim higher with the use of
o Use of open flame for small amount of
stick compound by softening it and
modeling compound (stick form)
placing it on the edges of the tray
o Modeling compound are heated to
• Serve as a wedge material to hold the matrix in
become soft and not to be melted.
place: orangewood stick ▪ Important ingredients are lost
o In dealing with Class II preparation, you
during melting
will remove the wall that is affected, ▪ Overheating – sparks indicate
once removed, you will replace it with that some components
something that will serve as a wall.
(plasticizers) are leached out.
o Wedge material could be made up of
▪ If during heating, the modeling
plastic or wood and can be used as a compound does not exhibit
substitute to modeling compound, along shiny surface, discard it
with the matrix band it will be inserted (dullness indicates that the
interdentally to stabilize the matrix.
plasticizers are lost already)
Properties of Modeling Compound
• Poor thermal conductivity
• Dimensional change: shrinks at 0.3-0.4%
• With good flow property
• Advantage – enables us to get a more detailed
and accurate impression
• Disadvantage – if you fail to construct the cast
immediately after withdrawing the impression
from the patient’s mouth, the continuous flow
property can be a source of error
Cast Construction and Separation
• Wash in running water after withdrawal
• No need for separating medium
• Mix plaster of Paris to make a study cast
• Immerse in a hot water bath
o MC softens, if MC sticks to the cast,
soften a piece of MC and allow it to come
into contact with the melted MC
o Do this to soften the modeling
compound. Do not apply force to
prevent damaging the cast
Zinc Oxide Eugenol (ZOE)
• The reaction between zinc oxide and eugenol
yields a relatively hard mass that possesses
certain medicinal advantages, as well as
mechanical property benefits, for some dental
operations.
• This type of material has been involved in a wide
range of applications in dentistry, including use
as an impression material (prosthodontics) for
edentulous mouths, a surgical dressing (endo),
bite registration paste (prosthodontics),
temporary filling material (resto), root canal
filling material (endo), cementing medium
(prostho or resto), and temporary relining
material for dentures (prostho).
Uses of ZOE
• Secondary impression for edentulous ridge for
final impression
• Surgical dressing (for perio)
o After periodontal surgery, open wounds
are covered with ZOE to allow healing
(medicament covers the wound from
debris)
• Stabilizes occlusion rims
o These are the rolled wax that was placed
in the denture base where artificial teeth
will be set.
o You have to get the bite of your patient
first to stabilize the occlusion rim before
setting the artificial teeth.
o Before that, the ZOE paste should be
inserted in the wax to get the correct
bite of the patient.
o Once the material sets, the occlusion rim
can now be removed from the upper and
lower jaw
• Temporary filling material
o When there’s pain
- The ZOE will be used as
temporary filling material once
you have cavity preparation and
the patient cannot distinguish if
he/she felt pain or sensitivity.
- You are going to mix the ZOE
and then place it inside the
prepared cavity. Then the
patient will be under
observation for 4 weeks.
- If the patient did not feel pain or
sensitivity, that means the pulp
were healed. Because of this you
can now place the final filling
material that can either be the
amalgam, composite or GIC.
o When time is not enough
- Mostly occurs if you are a
clinician
o When there is rampant caries
- If you cannot identify which one
felt the pain just coat all the
caries with ZOE. Once done
filling all caries, the body
infected tooth will be the one
that will feel the most pain. This
help you identify which tooth
should be extracted and which
tooth needs RCT.
• Temporary relining material for loose dentures
o Dentures become loose because the
bone resorbs
- If the loose dentures were not
adjusted, the tissue in the
patient’s mouth may be
 traumatized or cause tissue oBoth onlay and inlay are made of metal
overgrowth. or any tooth-colored material like
o Remedy: relining or rebasing depends porcelain or composite. The difference
on the extent of looseness between these two is that in onlay, there
are very extensive damage on the tooth
Relining
and the restorations is fabricated
• Relining – resurfacing the tissue side of a outside the mouth. While for inlay, the
denture in order to compensate for changes in restoration is only confined within the
the soft tissue occurring during the wearing of walls of the cavity
the denture and to achieve an accurate fit • 2 varieties:
• Use ZOE but temporary only because it is soluble • Weak – for temporary cementing medium
to the oral fluids • Strong – for permanent cementing medium
• Use Resin – permanent reliner
o Common problem among dentists is that
they use self-curing acrylic resin for
relining. The problem with this is that it
releases heat (exothermic reaction) and
the patient will definitely feel pain
caused by this reaction.
o If you are going to use self-curing acrylic
resin as a reliner, you have to use it
indirectly. You have to come up with a
Finished Preparation - MOD porcelain onlay preparation
cast and you will do your relining from
that cast.

Rebasing

• Changing the entire denture base because of too

much looseness

Uses of ZOE

• Use base material

• Root Canal Sealer
• During root canal treatment, ZOE is used to coat
gutta percha sticks inserted into the canal
• ZOE is a sealer or obtundant material
o ZOE has sedative effect, it can heal the
pulp that is why it is used as a temporary
filling material so that we can observe if
the ZOE can reverse the condition of the
pulp.
• Cementing Medium
• To cement crown preparations, onlays,
• Onlays – with missing cusps, restorations that
are fabricated outside the mouth, they must be
cemented on the prepared cavity
• Inlays – restorations are confined within the
walls of the cavity
Uses of ZOE
• Pulp Capping Agent
o When there is excessive cavitation
• Depth of Cavity
o Class A – depth is 0.2-0.5 mm beyond
DEJ; ideal depth of cavity
o Class B – a little beyond 0.5mm beyond
DEJ but with 1 mm thickness of dentin
left to cover the pulp
o Class C – with pinpoint pulp involvement
yet deeper than class B. The thickness of
 the dentin left will be .5 mm; when you ▪ Increase the strength of ZOE
check the prepared cavity, you will see o Olive Oil
the pulpal floor or wall, its color is ▪ Dilute the content
already reddish or pinkish.
o Class D – with pulp involvement (pulp
exposure); no dentin left; bloody
▪ Pulp capping is done on Class C
and D
▪ For class C – use ZOE with
calcium hydroxide (liner),
indirect P.C. procedure
Manipulation
▪ For class D – (Calcium
hydroxide) direct pulp capping • Accomplished on an oil impervious paper or a
• Bite Registration Paste glass mixing slab.
• To simulate the occlusal relationship between • Squeeze two strips of paste of the same length,
the upper and lower arches one from each tube, onto the mixing slab
• Use of bite wax (yellow wax) and ZOE paste • Use stainless steel spatula for mixing procedure
• Seat the horse-shoe shaped wax or ZOE paste on (rotatory motion then folding motion)
the mouth • Combined the two strips of contrasting colors,
• Allow ZOE paste to set with the first stroke of the spatula, and mixing is
• Once set, transfer the bite to the cast continued for approximately 1 min, or as
• Heat Insulating Base directed by the manufacturer, until uniform
• Used to absorb heat coming from outside color is achieved
stimulus before amalgam restoration • Put it on a tray and insert it to the patient’s
mouth.
Composition of ZOE

• Dispensed as two separate pastes.

• Tube 1 Universal/ Base
o 87% Zinc Oxide
o 13% Fixed Vegetable or Mineral Oil
▪ Acts as a plasticizer and aids in
offsetting the action of the
eugenol as an irritant. Irreversible Hydrocolloids/Alginate
• Tube 2 Reactor/Catalyst/Accelerator • Cannot be converted to its original form
o Oil of Cloves • Classified as Thermoset according to manner of
▪ Contains 70 to 85% eugenol, hardening
produces less burning sensation • Elastic
for patients • Dispensing form is powder
o Gum or Polymerized Rosin
▪ Facilitates the speed of the
reaction and yields a smoother,
homogenous product
o Resinous Balsam
▪ Used to increase flow and
improve mixing properties
o Accelerators
▪ CaCl2 – speed up setting Components of Alginate
o Silica & Lanolin (fillers or hardening
agent) • Na & K Alginate – main component of alginate
 • CaSO4 – chief reactor For Maxillary Impression:
• Na3PO4 (Trisodium Phosphate) – retarder,
• Do not insert the tray directly into the patient’s
allows proper manipulation, prolongs the
mouth.
working time
• With the use of the left hand of the operator, the
• Potassium Titanium Fluoride – accelerator,
one finger must retract the left cheek and then
plaster hardener
that’s when you insert the impression tray, on
• Fillers ZnO, Diatomaceous Earth – hardening
the right side first then followed by the left side.
agents, improve the strengths
• Once inside the patient’s mouth, advice the
• Coloring Agents – could help ease in reading the
patient to rest his/her tongue on the tray and
impression; used to interpret the accuracy of
then lift the lip of the patient and then press
impression
down the tray and make sure that it will capture
• Flavoring Material – to make palatable to the
the deepest portion of the patient’s mouth.
patient’s mouth
• Do not let the patient tilt his/her head upward,
• Organic Glycof – for a “dust-free” alginate
otherwise the material will flow towards the
Uses of Alginate uvula and the patient may gag.
• Make the patient tilt his/her head downward.
• Taking impression for orthodontic cases,
restorative cases and prosthodontic cases For mandibular Impression:
o Mainly used for preliminary impression
• Do the same thing you did with getting the
and final impression as well
maxillary impression however use your right
• As a duplicating material
hand this time.
o It is for RPD cases, wherein you need to
duplicate your master cast because the Manipulation of Alginate
metal framework is processed in
• Apparatus: Plaster spatula & Plaster Bowl,
duplication with the use of investment
Perforated/Rim-Locked Tray
material.
• W:P Ratio – see manufacturer ‘s instruction
• Taking impression with undercuts
• Place the water first on a rubber bowl then add
Types of Alginate the powder
• Mix briskly – figure of 8 motion while turning the
• Type I – fast set 1 -2 min
rubber bowl (palm & thumb grasp)
• Type II – normal set 2-4.5 mins.
• Mixing time: 45s – 1 min
SEATING OF THE PATEINT o Still depends on manufacturing
instructions
• When a homogenous mixture is attained, place
Position of the operator for it on a tray
maxillary impression • Manner of withdrawal: Sudden pull

(11 O’ CLOCK) Manipulation of Alginate

Position of the operator for

mandibular impression

(7 O’ CLOCK)
 Preparing – Dosage Impression - Fixing

*Changes in color will indicate when to do the next step.

Preparing – Mixing Properties of Alginate

• Not dimensionally stable

o Syneresis – shrinkage
o Imbibition - swelling
• Compressive strength – at least 49.8psi
• Tear strength – 4psi
• Elasticity – 97.3%
• Flexibility – 12%

Reversible Hydrocolloid/Agar

• Classified as THERMOPLASTIC according to

Preparing - Application
Impression – Tray insertion
manner of hardening
• Elastic
• Dispensing form is Gel
o Tube-tray material
▪ Thicker consistency
▪ Less flow property
▪ Stronger to withstand
withdrawal
o Stick/Capsule-syringe material
▪ Weaker
▪ Thinner consistency
▪ High flow property
Uses of Agar

• Used as duplicating material

• Used for partial/removable dentures
• For corrective for final or wash impression
material
• For orthodontic cases

Composition of Agar

• Agar – main component 8-15% for tray material

and 6-8% for syringe material
 • H2O – main component by weight: 72-80%
• Borax – improves the viscosity of the sol and the
Hydrocolloid
strength of the gel
conditioning with three
o sol-liquid state of colloids/can reach
baths: liquefying,
more areas
storage and tempering
o Gel-solid state/can withstand distortion
• K2SO4 – serves as an accelerator, used to
counteract the retardation effect of borax to the
setting of the cast
• Fillers – improve the strength of gel, hardening
agents include wax, silica, rubber, inert powder,
Tubes and cartridges of
clay, talc, diatomaceous earth
hydrocolloid placed in
• Glycerine – acts as plasticizer, improves the
liquefying bath
workability of agar
• HCl and Thymol – anti bacterial agents which
prolong the storage life.
• Coloring and Flavoring materials

Manipulation of Agar

• Apparatus: Hydrocolloid conditioner - like a

water bath with 3 compartments at different Tubes and cartridges of
temperature hydrocolloid transferred
• Impression Tray Used – water-cooled trays, used from liquefying bath to
exclusively for agar, facilitate faster setting time. storage bath
• Manner of Withdrawal – Sudden Pull

A B C
98-100⁰ C 64-68⁰ C 44-48⁰
Liquefying Storing Temp. Tempering
Temp. Temp.
• Liquefy the hydrocolloid gel in boiling water in
compartment A for 10 minutes
Tray filled with
• After the agar hydrocolloid material has been impression material
liquefied, it may be stored in the sol condition placed in tempering
(compartment B) at 65°C until it is needed for bath
injection into the cavity preparation or for a
filling a tray
• When the sol is needed, transfer it to
compartment C as that the temperature will be
tolerable by the patient
o Tempering time is 3-10 minutes
Cartridge of liquefied
o Cover the tray with gauze pad so that the
hydrocolloid is removed
contaminated surface layer of agar can
from storage bath
be removed
o Tempering also increases the viscosity of
agar
 • Procedure:

Cartridge of impression
material is loaded into
Tray material
syringe

Syringe material

Blunt needle is attached

to impression syringe

Loaded tray in tempering

bath
Agar Impression Technique

• Armamentarium

Water cooled tray Dentate arch is flooded

with water

Tray and syringe material

Water cooling tubes
connected to seated
tray

Conditioning unit

Completed impression
Disadvantages

• Dimensionally unstable / distortion during

gelation

• Initial expenditure for instruments

• Multiple pouring is not possible

Properties of Agar

• Not dimensionally stable

o Syneresis: shrinkage or contraction –
giving off of water to environment
o Imbibition: swelling or expansion –
taking in water from environment
• Good flow property
• Physical Property
o Tear strength: 4psi, 3mm thickness of
agar gel inside the tray to prevent the
tearing of the material
o Compressive Strength: 35.6psi
• Elasticity – 93.8% (more elastic than alginate)
• It’s a must to construct a cast immediately after
taking the impression to prevent the shrinkage
or expansion, otherwise, wrap it with a moist
paper or towel

Reversible Hydrocolloids

• What then are the drawbacks of this material?

o Can only be poured once
o Quite temperature dependent
o Potential injury to the patient
o If left exposed, can begin to distort
readily