Objectives

• Provide general review of types of dental

impression materials.
• Provide general information on the physical
Impression Materials and handling properties and indications for
use of various types of impression materials.

Course Date: 5/05

Reviewed/Updated: 10/10
Expiration Date: 10/13

Impression Materials Indications

• Non-elastic • Diagnostic casts
• Elastic – preliminary
– Aqueous hydrocolloids – opposing
• Agar
• Alginate • Indirect
– Non-aqueous elastomers reconstruction
• Polysulfide – fixed
• Silicones
– Condensation – removable
– Addition
• Polyether • Bite registration

Giordano, Gen Dent 2000

Plaster

Elastomeric Impression Materials Non-elastic

Compound

Waxes

• Viscoelastic ZnO - Eugenol

Impression
Materials

– physical properties vary

• rate of loading Agar (reversible)
Aqueous
• Rapidly remove Hydrocolloids
Alginate (irreversible)
– decreases permanent Elastic
deformation Polysulfide
Condensation
• chains recoil from a recoverable distance Non-aqueous
Silicones
Elastomers
– increases tear strength Addition
Polyether

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996 O’Brien, Dental Materials & their Selection 1997
 Aqueous Hydrocolloids Aqueous Hydrocolloids
• Colloidal suspensions
• Semi-permeable membranes
– chains align to form fibrils
– poor dimensional stability
– traps water in interstices
• Evaporation
• Two forms
– sol • Syneresis
• viscous liquid – fibril cross linking continues
– gel • contracts with time
• exudes water
• elastic solid
• Placed intra-orally as sol • Imbibition
– converts to gel – water absorption
• swells
• thermal or chemical process
Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996 Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996

Agar (reversible)
Reversible Hydrocolloid
Aqueous
Hydrocolloids
(Agar)
Alginate (irreversible) • Indications
Elastic – crown and bridge
Polysulfide • high accuracy
Condensation
Non-aqueous
Silicones • Example
Elastomers
Addition – Slate Hydrocolloid (Van R)
Polyether

O’Brien, Dental Materials & their Selection 1997

Composition Manipulation
• Agar • Potassium sulfate
– complex polysaccharide – improves gypsum • Gel in tubes
• seaweed surface – syringe and tray material
– gelling agent • Water (85%)
• Borax
– strength

cool to 43ºC

agar hydrocolloid (hot) agar hydrocolloid (cold)

heat to 100ºC
(sol) (gel)

O’Brien, Dental Materials & their Selection 1997

 Manipulation Advantages
• 3-chamber conditioning unit
– (1) liquefy at 100°C for • Dimensionally accurate
10 minutes
• Hydrophilic
• converts gel to sol
– displaces moisture, blood, fluids
– (2) store at 65°C
• Inexpensive
– place in tray
– after initial equipment
– (3) temper at 46°C for 3 minutes
• No custom tray or adhesives
– seat tray
– cool with water at 13°C for 3 minutes
• Pleasant flavor
• converts sol to gel • No mixing required
O’Brien, Dental Materials & their Selection 1997 Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996

Disadvantages
Agar (reversible)
Aqueous
Hydrocolloids
• Initial expense Alginate (irreversible)
– special equipment
Elastic
• Material must be prepared in advanced Polysulfide
Condensation
• Tears easily Non-aqueous
Silicones
• Dimensionally unstable Elastomers
Addition
– Must be poured immediately Polyether
– Can only be used for a single cast
• Difficult to disinfect
Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996 O’Brien, Dental Materials & their Selection 1997

Irreversible Hydrocolloid Composition

• Sodium alginate • Sodium phosphate
(Alginate) – salt of alginic acid – retarder
• Most widely used • mucous extraction of • Filler
seaweed (algae)
impression material • Potassium fluoride
• Calcium sulfate
• Indications – improves gypsum
– reactor surface
– study models
– removable fixed partial dentures
• framework
2 Na3PO4 + 3 CaSO4 Ca3(PO4)2 + 3 Na2SO4
• Examples H2O
– Jeltrate (Dentsply/Caulk) Na alginate + CaSO4 Ca alginate + Na2SO4
– Coe Alginate (GC America)
(powder) (gel)
Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996
O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997
 Manipulation Advantages
• Weigh powder • Inexpensive
• Powder added to water • Easy to use
– rubber bowl
• Hydrophilic
– vacuum mixer
– displace moisture, blood, fluids
• Mixed for 45 sec to 1 min
• Stock trays
• Place tray
• Remove 2 to 3 minutes
– after gelation (loss of tackiness)

Caswell JADA 1986 Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996

Disadvantages Non-Aqueous Elastomers

• Tears easily • Synthetic rubbers

• Dimensionally unstable – mimic natural rubber
– immediate pour • scarce during World War II
– single cast • Large polymers
• Lower detail reproduction – some chain lengthening
– unacceptable for fixed pros – primarily cross-linking
• High permanent deformation • Viscosity classes
– low, medium, high, putty
• Difficult to disinfect
– monophasic

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996 Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996

Polysulfide
Agar (reversible)
Aqueous
Hydrocolloids • First dental elastomers
Alginate (irreversible) • Indications
Elastic – complete denture
Polysulfide – removable fixed partial denture
Condensation
Non-aqueous • tissue
Silicones
Elastomers – crown and bridge
Addition
Polyether • Examples
– Permlastic (Kerr)
– Omni-Flex (GC America)

O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997

 Composition Polysulfide Reaction
• Base --SH HS---------------------SH HS-- -S-S---------------S-S-
– polysulfide polymers O O

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

=
– plasticizers O O = Pb = O O S

• Catalyst H
S
– lead dioxide (or copper)
– fillers mercaptan + lead dioxide polysulfide rubber + lead oxide + water

• By-product
– water
Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996 O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997

Manipulation Advantages
• Lower cost
• Adhesive to tray
– compared to silicones and polyethers
• Uniform layer
– custom tray
• Long working time
• Equal lengths of pastes • High tear strength
• Mix thoroughly • High flexibility
– within one minute • Good detail reproduction
• Setting time 8 – 12 minutes
• Pour within 1 hour

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996

Disadvantages
Agar (reversible)
• Poor dimensional stability Aqueous
– water by-product Hydrocolloids
Alginate (irreversible)
– pour within one hour
– single pour Elastic
• Custom trays Polysulfide
Condensation
• Messy Non-aqueous
Silicones
– paste-paste mix Elastomers
– bad odor Addition
Polyether
– may stain clothing
• Long setting time

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996 O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997
 Condensation Silicone Composition

• Indications • Base
– poly(dimethylsiloxane)
– complete dentures
– tetraethylorthosilicate
– crown and bridge
– filler
• Examples • Catalyst
– Speedex (Coltene/Whaledent) – metal organic ester
– Primasil (TISS Dental) • By-product
– ethyl alcohol

Phillip’s 1996

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996

CH3 CH3

Condensation HO – Si – O – Si - O - H C2H5O OC2H5

Manipulation
CH3 CH3 n
Silicone Si • Mix thoroughly
CH3 CH3 – paste - paste
Reaction HO – Si – O – Si - O - H C2H5O OC2H5
– paste - liquid
CH3 CH3 n
• Putty-wash technique
metal organic ester
CH3 CH3
– reduces effect of polymerization shrinkage
HO – Si – O – Si - O - OC2H5
– stock tray
• putty placed
CH3 CH3 n
Si + 2C2H5OH • thin plastic sheet spacer
ethanol
CH3 CH3 • preliminary impression
HO – Si – O – Si - O - OC2H5 – intraoral custom tray

CH3 CH3
• inject wash material
n
Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996

Advantages Disadvantages
• Better elastic properties • Poor dimensional stability
• Clean, pleasant – high shrinkage
• Stock tray • polymerization
• evaporation of ethanol
– putty-wash
– pour immediately
• Good working and setting time
• within 30 minutes
• Hydrophobic
– poor wettability

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996 Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996
 Addition Silicones
Agar (reversible)
Aqueous • AKA: Vinyl polysiloxane
Hydrocolloids
Alginate (irreversible) • Indications
– crown and bridge
Elastic – denture
Polysulfide – bite registration
Condensation
Non-aqueous
Silicones
• Examples
Elastomers – Extrude (Kerr)
Addition
Polyether – Express (3M/ESPE)
– Aquasil (Dentsply Caulk)
– Genie (Sultan Chemists)
– Virtual (Ivoclar Vivadent)

O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997

Composition CH3 O
---O – Si – CH = CH2 H - Si – CH3 CH3

• Improvement over condensation silicones

Addition CH3 O CH = CH2 – Si – O ---
CH3 - Si - H CH3
– no by-product Silicone
O
• First paste Reaction
– vinyl poly(dimethylsiloxane) Chloroplatinic Acid Catalyst
prepolymer CH3 O
---O – Si – CH2 - CH2 - Si – CH3
• Second paste
CH3 O CH3
– siloxane prepolymer
CH3 - Si - CH2 - CH2 – Si – O ---
• Catalyst
CH3
– chloroplatinic acid O
Phillip’s 1996

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996 Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996

Manipulation Advantages
• Adhesive to tray
• Double mix • Highly accurate
– custom tray • High dimensional stability
• heavy-body – pour up to one week
– light-body to prep • Stock or custom trays
• Putty-wash • Multiple casts
– stock tray • Easy to mix
• Pleasant odor

Craig Adv Dent Res 1988 Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996
 Disadvantages Addition Silicones
• Expensive
• Sulfur inhibits set • Surfactants added
– latex gloves – reduce contact angle
– ferric and Al sulfate
retraction solution – improved
• Pumice teeth before • castability
– gypsum
impressing
• wettability??
• Short working time
– still need dry field clinically
• Lower tear strength
• Possible hydrogen gas release
– bubbles on die
– palladium added to absorb
Pratten J Dent Res 1987
Manikos Aust Dent J 1998 Mandikos Aust Dent J 1998

Polyether
Agar (reversible)
Aqueous
Hydrocolloids
Alginate (irreversible) • Indications
– crown and bridge
Elastic
Polysulfide – bite registration
Condensation
Non-aqueous • Examples
Silicones
Elastomers – Impregum F (3M/ESPE)
Addition – Permadyne (3M/ESPE)
Polyether
– Pentamix (3M/ESPE)
– P2 (Heraeus Kulzer)
– Polygel (Dentsply Caulk)
O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997

Composition Polyether Reaction

R R base
• Base CH3 – CH – CH2 – CO2 – CH – (CH2)n – O – CH – (CH2)n – CO2 –CH2 – CH –CH3
– difunctional epimine-terminated prepolymer m
N
– fillers N
– plasticizers H2C CH2 + R+
H2C CH2

• Catalyst catalyst

– aromatic sulfonic acid ester SO3-

– fillers
• Cationic polymerization
R– N+ N R – N – CH2 – CH2 – N +
– ring opening and chain extension +
H2C CH2 H2C CH2 H2C CH2
ring opening
Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996 Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996
 Manipulation Advantages
• Adhesive to tray • Highly accurate
– stock or custom tray • Good dimensional stability
• very stiff
• Stock or dual-arch trays
• Paste-paste mix
• Good surface detail
• Auto-mixing
– hand-held
• Pour within one week
• low viscosity – kept dry
– mechanical dispenser • Multiple casts
• high viscosity • Good wettability

Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996

Disadvantages Impression Material Usage*

Civilian General Dentists
• Expensive • Crown & Bridge
– vinylpolysiloxane 81%
• Short working time
– alginate 38%
• Rigid – polyether 28%
– difficult to remove from undercuts • Inlays and Onlays
• Bitter taste – vinylpolysiloxane 71%
• Low tear strength – polyether 22%
– alginate 20%
• Absorbs water
– changes dimension
*Multiple responses DPR 2001
Phillip’s Science of Dental Materials 1996

Impression Material Usage* Handling Properties

Civilian General Dentists
Condensation Addition
• Complete dentures Agar Alginate Polysulfide
Silicone Silicone
Polyether

– alginate 58% Boil,

Powder, 2 pastes or
Preparation temper, 2 pastes 2 pastes 2 pastes
– vinylpolysiloxane 55% store
water paste/liquid

– polyether 27% Technique

Ease of Use Good Fair Fair Excellent Good
• Partial dentures sensitive

– alginate 78% Patient Thermal Pleasant, Unpleasant, Pleasant,

Pleasant
Unpleasant
Reaction Shock clean stains clean clean
– vinylpolysiloxane 43%
Ease of Very Very Moderate
– polyether 15% removal easy easy
Easy Moderate Moderate
to difficult

Disinfection Poor Poor Fair Fair Excellent Fair

*Multiple responses DPR 2002
O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997
 Handling Properties Properties
Condensation Addition Condensation Addition
Agar Alginate Polysulfide Polyether Agar Alginate Polysulfide Polyether
Silicone Silicone Silicone Silicone
Working Elastic
7 – 15 2.5 5–7 3 2 –4.5 2.5 98.8 97.3 94.5 – 96.9 98.2 – 99.6 99 – 99.9 98.3 – 99.0
Time (min) Recovery (%)
Setting Time
5 3.5 8 – 12 6–8 3–7 4.5 Flexibility (%) 11 12 8.5 – 20.0 3.5 – 7.8 1.3 – 5.6 1.9 – 3.3
(min)

1 hour Immediate Immediate 1 week Flow (%) -- -- 0.4 – 1.9 < 0.10 < 0.05 < 0.05
Stability 1 hour 1 week
100% RH pour pour kept dry
Shrinkage, 24
Wettability Extreme Extreme 0.4 – 0.5 0.2 – 1.0 0.01 – 0.2 0.2 – 0.3
Fair to hours (%)
and Excellent Excellent Fair Fair Good
good
castability
Tear Strength 380 – 1640 – 1700 -
High to 700 2240 – 7410 2280 – 4370
Cost Low Very low Low Moderate Very high (g/cm) 700 5260 4800
very high

O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997 O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997

Comparison of Properties Comparison of Properties

• Working time
– longest to shortest • Stiffness
• agar > polysulfide > silicones > alginate = polyether – most to least
• polyether > addition silicone > condensation silicone >
• Setting time polysulfide = hydrocolloids
– shortest to longest
• Tear strength
• alginate < polyether < agar < silicones < polysulfide
– greatest to least
• polysulfide > addition silicone > polyether >
condensation silicone >> hydrocolloids

O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997 O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997

Comparison of Properties
Comparison of Properties
• Cost • Wettability
– lowest to highest – best to worst
• alginate < agar = polysulfide <condensation silicone < • hydrocolloids > polyether > hydrophilic addition
addition silicone < polyether silicone > polysulfide > hydrophobic addition silicone
• Dimensional stability = condensation silicone

– best to worst • Castability

• addition silicone > polyether > polysulfide > – best to worst
condensation silicone > hydrocolloid • hydrocolloids > hydrophilic addition silicone >
polyether > polysulfide > hydrophobic addition
silicone = condensation silicone
Phillip’s 1996

O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997 O’Brien Dental Materials & their Selection 1997
 Regularly-Used Impression Materials* Summary
Civilian Practitioners
• Alginate 88%
• Study models
• Polyvinyl Siloxane 85% – Alginate most widely used
• Polyether 27% • inexpensive
• Other 6% • displaces moisture
• lower detail reproduction
• dimensionally unstable

*Multiple Responses DPR 2005

Summary References
• Phillips’ Science of Dental Materials, edited by K Anusavice, 11th
ed., 2008, Saunders Publishing.
• Prosthodontics • Dental Materials and their Selection, edited by WJ O’Brien, 4th
– Addition silicones most popular ed., 2008, Quintessence Publishing.
• accurate • Dental Products Report, 2001, 2002, 2005.
• dimensionally stable • CW Caswell, AS von Gonten, and TR Meng, Volumetric
• user friendly proportioning techniques for irreversible hydrocolloids: a
• expensive comparative study, J Am Dent Assoc 1986 112:859-861.
• MN Mandikos, Polyvinyl Siloxane Impression Materials: An
Update on Clinical Use, Australian Dental Journal, Dec 1998,
43(5): 428-434.
• RG Craig, Review of Impression Materials, Advance in Dental
Research, Aug 1988, 2,51-64.