Investing

By/Dina Elshokafy
Lecturer in fixed prosthodontics
BDS , MSc, PhD.
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 Alloy selection
The choice of casting alloy largely determines the selection of
investment & casting techniques .

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 Alloys classification on the basis of their indented
use

• Type I: Simple inlays .

• Type II: Complex inlays.
• Type III: Crowns & fixed dental prothesis.
• Type IV: partial removable dental prosthesis & pin ledges .

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 According to physical properties
(specially hardness)

• Type I: Soft
• Type II: Medium
• Type III : Hard
• Type IV: Extra hard
• Porcelain type alloys with a high Nobel metal content were found to
have hardness similar to that of type III alloys .
• Base metal alloys were found to be harder than type IV alloys.

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 Investment

Stonelike material that withstands the high

temperatures & forces of burnout & casting.

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 • Investment material consist of :

• Refractory material (usually silica ).

• Binder material, which provides strength.
• Additive to improve handling characteristics

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 Classification according to binder
Gypsum-Bonded Investments
Type II,III,IV gold alloys

Phosphate-bonded investment
Metal ceramic framework

Silica bonded investment

High melting base-metal alloys used in
partial dental prothesis

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 Ideal Properties of investment
• Controllable expansion to compensate precisely for shrinkage of the cast alloy
during cooling.

• The ability to produce smooth castings with accurate surface reproduction &
without nodules .

• Chemical stability at high casting temperatures .

• Adequate strength to resist casting forces .
• Sufficient porosity to allow for gas escape .
• Easy recovery of the casting.
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Gypsum-Bonded Investments
• Gypsum is used as a binder, along with cristobalite or quartz as the refractory
material, to form the mold.

• The cristobalite & quartz are responsible for the thermal expansion of mold
during wax elimination.

• Because gypsum is not chemically stable at temperatures exceeding 650°C

(1202°F).These investments are typically restricted to castings of
conventional types II, III, and IV gold alloys.

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 Expansion
Three types of expansion can be manipulated to obtain the desired size
of casting

Setting Hygroscopic Thermal

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 Setting expansion.
• As the gypsum investment sets after mixing, it expands & slightly enlarges
the mold.

• The pattern, metal casting ring, & compressibility of the ring liner all
influence this expansion.

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• The water-to-powder ratio can be altered to reduce or increase
amount of setting expansion.
• Less water increases the setting expansion & results in a slightly
larger casting.
• Using an additional ring liner increases the setting expansion,
as does a slight increase in mixing time.
• If a smaller casting is desired, more water can be used or the
liner can be eliminated, both of which curtail the amount of
expansion.
• In attempts to alter setting expansion, the changes should not
deviate more than minimally from the manufacturer’s
recommendations, to ensure that there are no changes in the
essential properties of the investment
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 Hygroscopic expansion.
• Hygroscopic expansion occurs when water is added to the setting
gypsum investment immediately after the ring has been filled.
• To accomplish this, the ring is usually submerged in a water bath
at 37°C (100°F) for up to 1hour immediately after investment.

• A significant amount of additional setting expansion results,

enabling the use of a slightly lower wax elimination temperature. A
wet ring liner also contributes hygroscopic expansion to the
portion of the mold it is in contact with.

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 Thermal expansion.
• As the mold is heated to eliminate wax, thermal expansion occurs.
• Silica refractory material is principally responsible for this because of solid
state phase transformations.
• Cristobalite changes from the α (low-temperature) to the β (high-
temperature) form between 200°C & 270°; quartz transforms at 575°.
• These transitions involve a change in crystal form, an accompanying change in
bond angles & axis dimension, & a decrease in density, which produce a
volume increase in the refractory components.

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 Gypsum-bonded investments.
• Gypsum-bonded investments satisfy most of the requirements for
an ideal material, although they are not suitable for casting metal-
ceramic alloys
-Because the gypsum is unstable at the high temperatures required .
-Sulfide contamination of the alloy can occur.

• In addition, with some materials, obtaining adequate expansion

may be difficult. This is critical in casting complete crowns. A
casting that is slightly oversized (in a controlled manner) is
advantageous for accurate seating .
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 Factors that increase expansion of gypsum-
bonded investments include the following
• Use of a full-width ring liner
• Prolonged spatulation
• Storage at 100% humidity
• Lower water-to-powder ratio
• Use of a dry liner
• Use of two ring liners
• Hygroscopic technique with the pattern in the upper part of the ring

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Phosphate-Bonded Investments
• Phosphate-bonded investment materials offer
certain advantages over gypsum-bonded
investments.

• They are more stable at high temperatures and thus

are the material of choice for casting metal-ceramic
alloys.

• They expand rapidly at the temperatures used for

casting alloys, & their expansion can be conveniently
& precisely controlled.

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 The expansion is increased as a result of a
combination of the following factors
• Heat from the setting reaction softens the wax & allows freer setting
expansion.
• The increased strength of the material at high temperatures restricts
shrinkage of the alloy as it cools.
• The powder mixed with colloidal silica reduces the surface roughness of
the castings & also increases expansion. Thus, expansion can be
conveniently controlled by slightly diluting the colloidal silica with distilled
water.

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 • However, castings made with phosphate-bonded investments are
rougher than those made with gypsum-bonded investments & are
more difficult to remove from the investment.

• Because phosphate-bonded investments have lower porosity, complete

mold filling is more difficult. Castings also are more likely to have
surface nodules, which must be removed. (Vacuum mixing & a careful
investing technique help reduce, but do not eliminate, occurrence of
nodules.)

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Investing
• Vacuum mixing of investment materials is highly recommended for
consistent results in casting with minimal surface defects, especially when
phosphate-bonded investments are used.

• Good results are possible with brush application of vacuum-mixed

investment or when the investment is poured into the ring under vacuum
pressure.

• Vacuum mixing with brush application of the investment is the suggested

mode. To expedite the procedure & minimize distortion, all necessary items
& materials should be prepared before the wax pattern is reflowed &
removed from the die.
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 Armamentarium
• Vacuum mixer and bowl
• Vibrator
• Investment powder (gypsum or phosphate bonded)
• Water or colloidal silica
• Spatula
• Brush
• Surfactant graduated cylinder
• Crucible former
• Casting ring & liner

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 Step-by-Step Procedure

• Brush Technique
• In this technique, the pattern is first painted with surface tension reducer;
the surface must be wet completely.
• 1. Select the correct program on the mixing unit in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions. The mixing bowl can be either wiped
completely dry or shaken dry. If it is shaken dry, remember that the
residual water adds about 1mL to the mix. Add investment powder to the
liquid in the mixing bowl .

• 2. Attach the bowl to the mixer, & mechanically spatulate. 26

 • 3. Coat the entire pattern with investment, pushing the material ahead of
brush from a single point. Gently vibrate throughout the application of
investment, being especially careful to coat the internal surface & pattern
margin.
• A finger positioned under the crucible former on the table of vibrator
minimizes the risk of excessive vibration & possible breaking of the pattern
from the sprue.
• After the pattern has been completely coated, attach the ring &
immediately fill by causing the remaining investment to vibrate out of the
bowl.

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• 4. Place the lined casting ring over the pattern.
• With the aid of vibration, pour the investment down the side of the ring .
Fill the ring slowly, starting from the bottom & moving up .

• 5. When the investment reaches the level of the pattern, tilt the ring
several times to cover & uncover the pattern, thereby minimizing possible
entrapment of air.

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• Investing must be performed quickly within the working time of the
investment. If the investment begins to set too soon, rinse it off quickly with
cold water. The wax pattern can then be replaced on the die, and material
can reflow into its margins again.

• 6. After the ring is filled to the rim, allow investment to set.

• 7. If hygroscopic technique is used, place the ring in a 37°C (100°F) water

bath for 1hour.

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 Vacuum technique
1- Hand spatulate the mix
2- With the crucible former & pattern in place , attach the ring to mixing bowel
.
3- Attach vacuum hose & mix according to manufacturer recommendations .
4-Invert the bowel & fill the ring under vibration.
5-Remone vacuum hose before shutting off the mixer.
6-Remove filled ring & crucible former from the bowel .
7-Immediately clean the bowel & mixing blade under running water.

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 Ringless Investment Technique

• With the use of higher strength, phosphate-bonded investments, the ringless

technique has become quite popular .
• The method entails the use of a paper or plastic casting ring & is designed to allow
unrestricted expansion. This can be useful with higher melting alloys that shrink more
because of a larger cooling trajectory.

Crucible formers & cone-shaped plastic rings for a ringless

casting system. The crucible former & plastic ring are
removed before wax elimination, leaving the invested wax
pattern. The systems are designed to achieve expansion that
is unrestricted by a metal ring. 33
Thank you