CAST METAL RESTORATIONS, CASTING

PROCEDURE AND CASTING DEFECTS

PRESENTED BY –
D R . YA D N E S H D O N D U L K A R
1 ST M D S
CONTENTS :-
INTRODUCTION
HISTORY
INDICATIONS
CONTRAINDICATIONS
MATERIALS FOR CAST RESTORATION
CASTING PROCEDURES
CASTING DEFECTS
REFRENCES
 INTRODUCTION
• Taggart introduced cast gold restoration technique and changed
the concept of restorative dentistry.

• Today cast dental restoration have become basic treatment

modality.

• These types of restoration are free of mechanical failure.

• Cast restorations for single tooth have several advantages over

other restorative materials.

(Marzouk)
 HISTORY

• 3000 B.C in Mesopotamia Evidence for the use of Copper in cast

restoration.

• 2500 B.C Egypt- introduction of the art of casting.

• 500 B.C Etruscan produced bridges made of soldered gold bands

• 1746 Mouton described gold shell crown

• 1789 Jean Dracet introduced low fusing meatal alloy

• 1847 platinum - gold alloy was introduced

• 1880 Richmond patented porcelain tooth soldered to gold backing.

Ref-Evolution of restorative dentistry from past to present.( Indian journal of dental sciences 2017 vol-9)
• 1884 Agulihon de Saran used 24k gold for inlay

• 1897 D. Philbrooke refined concept of investing

• 1907 W.H. Taggart introduced lost wax technique

• 1933 Co-Cr was introduced replacing gold

• 1950 Resin veneers for gold alloys were developed

• 1959 porcelain fused to metal concept was introduced

• 1968 Palladium bas Based alloys were introduced

• 1971 Base metal alloys (Ni based ) were introduced as economical

alternative to gold

Ref- Materials used in dentistry – S.Mahalaxmi

 INDICATIONS
• Extensive tooth involvement

• As an adjunct to successful periodontal therapy by correction of tooth

anomalies which predispose to periodontal problems

Marzouk
• Restoration of endodontically treated tooth

• Retainers for fixed prostheses

Marzouk
• Partially subgingival restorations

• Cracked teeth

Marzouk
• Correction of occlusal plane

• Support for and preparatory to partial dentures

Marzouk
 CONTRAINDICATIONS

• Developing and deciduous teeth

• High plaque/ caries index

• Occlusal disharmony

• Dissimilar metals

• Esthetics

• Small restoration

Marzouk
 MATERIALS FOR CAST RESTORATION

Classification & composition of cast metal materials

• Class I - Au-Pt based alloy, ADA specification # 5

Au- 70-75%, Pt-1-5% , Ag- 25-30%,Cu, traces of Zn or indium

• Class II -low gold alloy/ economy gold alloy

Pd-60%, Au-5%,Ag,Cu,Zn -25-30%

• Class III- non gold palladium based alloy

Pd-53-61%,Ag- 28-40%, (Cu, Sn, Zn) < 10%

• Class IV- nickel-chromium based alloy

Cr- less than 30%, Mb,Al,Tungsten in low %

• Class V- castable, mouldable ceramics

Marzouk
Properties of cast metal materials

Marzouk
Mouth preparation prior to cast restorations

• Control of plaque

• Control of caries

• Control of periodontal problems

• Proper foundation

• Control of the pulpal condition of the tooth

• Occlusal equilibration

• Diagnostic wax up & temporary restoration

Marzouk
 Casting procedure

Steps in casting

Wax pattern

Spruing

Investing

Burnout

Casting

Recover of casting

Finishing &polishing
 Wax pattern

• Wax pattern is nothing but the prosthesis pattern which is to

be fabricated.

• Fabrication of wax pattern is most important step in cast

fabrication as any minute error can cause failure of casting.

Composition of inlay wax

Paraffin wax -40-60%

Carnauba wax -25-30%
Dammer resin -5%
Colouring agents ( Phillips 11th edition)

Types of inlay wax

Type 1- medium wax for direct technique
Type 2- soft wax for indirect technique
 Armamentarium for waxing technique

Instruments for waxing technique were introduced by Dr. Peter K Thomas hence
known as PKT instruments.

PKT No. 1 -positioning cusps , marginal ridges and triangular ridges.

PKT No. 2- eliminating voids remaining on the occlusal surface.
PKT No. 3- smoothening developmental and supplemental grooves.
PKT No. 4- Smoothening of axial surfaces
PKT No. 5- refine the ridges

Ref- Waxing Techniques to Develop Proper Occlusal Morphology in Different Occlusal Schemes (The journal
of Indian prosthodontic society Dec 2011)
 Methods of wax pattern fabrication

1. By carving

2. Incremental built up

3. Direct built up

4. Anatomic core built up

A) Formulation of wax pattern by carving

1. Die is lubricated and all the details are overfilled such

that it should not contain voids.
2. Occlusal, facial, lingual and proximal limits of the pattern
are marked and established.
3. Facial and lingual axial anatomy and contours are
established
4. Occlusal anatomy is created, checked & corrected.
5. Proximal contour and anatomy is carved.
6.All surface anatomic components are blended together.
7. Pattern is polished using silk cloth and brush.
8. Occlusal component are checked in functional and static
relation.
B) Incremental build up of the wax pattern

1. Cusps with their tips are build in exact same location & checked
in static and dynamic occlusal relation.
2. Triangular ridges of cusps are added & checked for any
deficiencies or interference.
3.Marginal ridges are built up &checked.
4. Facial, lingual & proximal contour & anatomy is
established and checked.
5.Fossae & grooves are completed & checked.
6. Pattern is marginated & surface is polished.
C) Direct wax pattern

1. Matrix is applied( no wedges are applied). Separating medium is

applied on cavity& matrix.

2. inlay wax stick is softened at tip and gently kneaded & inserted in

matrixed cavity & kept under pressure till it gets hardened.

3. Gross excesses of is cut &occlusal anatomy is carved.

4. Matrix band is released from retainer & removed.

5. Pattern is replaced after lubricating it for second time and deficient contouring can be

adjusted.

6. Pattern should be marginated occlusally, facially, lingually using hot tine.

7. While holding the pattern with apical pressure using a small burnisher & is polished

using silk cloth.

8. Floss should be passed through proximal area to eliminate proximal

discrepancies.
 D) Anatomic core wax pattern

1.Before preparing teeth for cast, desired shape of future restoration is built
with hard wax, all mandibular movements are made and wax is adapted
accordingly.
2. Pick up impression is made with impression plaster above height of contour,
resulting impression serves as anatomic core.
3. Teeth preparation , impression & die preparation is carried out, anatomic
core is verified on working model.
4. One die is filled at a time with molten wax & lubricated anatomic core is
pressed down under pressure to determined position until wax solidifies.
5. Anatomic core is removed & fine adjustments are done. Other patterns are
fabricated in same manner.
 Spruing and surface treatment

Sprue: the mould channel through which molten metal or ceramic flows into the

mould cavity. (Phillips 11th edition)

Sprue former: A wax, plastic or metal pattern used to form the channel or

channels allowing molten metal to flow into a mould to make a casting (GPT 8 edition).
 Factors determining sprue design

• Diameter & length of pattern

• Number of sprue
• Location of sprue
• Angulation of sprue
• Sprue wax pattern joint
• Reservoir
• Venting
• Removal of wax pattern & sprue former
• Surface treatment of the pattern
 Diameter of the sprue
• It should be greater than the thickest part of the wax pattern.
• Melt velocity is directionally proportional to diameter of sprue.
• Most frequently used is 12,14&16 gauge sprue diameter

 Length of the sprue

• It is governed mainly by the length of the ring.
• Pattern should end 1/8-1/4 inch from the end of the
ring so as to get minimum thickness of the investment.
 Number of sprue

It is design of pattern which determines number of sprue.

If pattern maintains same dimension or decreases in size from sprue end to
other end only one sprue is sufficient.

If the pattern has thin area between sprue and periphery, two or more
sprues are indicated.

If multiple patterns are present multiple sprues are placed to

avoid under filling of molten metal
 Location of sprue

Sprue should be attached to the bulkiest part of the wax pattern.

Sprue former should be attached to least anatomic areas like cuspal anatomy,
ridges , fossa ( proximal surface is ideal location )

 Angulation of sprue

Sprue is never directed 90° to flat portion of wax pattern. It should always
directed at 45° to these details.

Incorrect Incorrect correct

 Sprue pattern join

• Smooth
• Flared
• Uninterrupted

 Reservoir

It is made by adding wax around sprue former 1-2 mm from the pattern to create
area in
Mould with dimensions more than the thickest portion of the pattern.
Indicated when sprue is thin and long.
 Venting

Indicated in condition when thickness of investment material is more or high

density of investment is present which will affect the escape of mould gases
resulting in errors in casting.
Wax rod is attached to the furthest portion of the pattern and is
curved towards the sprue.

 Removal of wax pattern from the die or tooth

1. Using sprue former 2. two fingers technique 3. using staple/ wire

 Surface treatment of wax pattern

As casting waxes are hydrophobic in nature, wetting of pattern

with investment becomes difficult.
Surface active agents are applied on pattern before investing.

 Casting ring liners

Asbestos paper
Cellulose liner
Aluminium silicate ceramic liner
 Crucible former

Definition-The base to which a sprue former is attached while the

wax pattern is being invested in refractory investment; a convex
rubber, plastic or metal base that forms a concave depression or
crucible in the refractory investment (GPT8).
 Investment of wax pattern

Definition: The process of covering or enveloping, wholly or in part, an object

such as a denture, tooth, wax form, crown, etc. with a suitable investment material
before processing, soldering or casting
(GPT 8th edition).

Materials used for investment

Gypsum bonded Phosphate bonded Silicate bonded

• Type I
• Type II
• Type III
 Uses of different types of investment material.

A) Gypsum bonded investment used for cast gold inlay , onlay.

• type I- shrinkage compensation by thermal expansion

• Type II- shrinkage compensation by hygroscopic expansion
• Type III- used for RPD construction with gold alloy

B) Phosphate bonded used for casting of coping of metal ceramic

C) Silicate bonded is used for casting RPD with base metal alloy
 TYPES OF EXPANSIONS

a. Setting expansion caused by normal crystal growth and recrystallization

(0.3 to 0.4%)

b. Hygroscopic expansion (1.2 to 1.4%) caused by water being added to

investment

c. Thermal expansion (1-1.2%) when silica is subjected to high temperature

(Cristobalite has high thermal expansion than quartz) (Thicker the mix, more is
thermal expansion).
Factors responsible for Compensation for shrinkage

Occasionally it is important to alter the size of the mould depending upon the size of
&metal used for casting .

Factors influencing mould size –

1) Two liners allow greater setting and thermal expansion than one liner.

2) Varying l/p ratio – lower l/p ratio – greater expansion; greater l/p ratio – lower
expansion.

3) In case of thermal expansion, increase in burnout temperature, increases the expansion

and vice versa.

4) Controlled water added techniques – here in a flexible rubber ring, pattern is invested,
allowed to set specified amount of water is added on the surface of set investment as
room temperature depending upon the expansion required.
 Steps in investment

• Secure wax pattern

• Surface treat the pattern
• Investment material is mixed according to manufacture instructions.
• Mixed material is gently painted over the pattern with hair brush/ straight
probe.
• Thin mix is poured at a slight angle to the bottom of the ring.
• Investment is allowed to set for approximately 1 hr.
 Burn out
• Crucible former & any metal sprue are removed.

• Investment ring is heated to prescribed maximum temperature of material.

• Gypsum bonded is heated for 500° C for hygroscopic technique or 700 ° C for
thermal expansion technique.

• Phosphate bonded can be heated in range of 700 ° -1030 °C

• Silicate bonded investment material can be heated in

range of 1090-1180 ° C
 Burnout method for different investment material

Gypsum bonded investment-

• slowly heated to 650-700 °C in 60 min & held for 15-30 min at upper temperature

• Gypsum investment having cristobalite as refractory material burnout can be done

by placing mold in furnace at 315 ° C for 30 min followed by very rapid heating to

final burnout temperature.

• Few investments can be directly placed at final burnout temperature, held for 30

min an cast.
Phosphate bonded investment –

• Slow heating up to 315 °C, followed by rapid heating to upper temperature,

held for 30min and casted.

• Investment is directly placed at the top temperature, held for 20-30 min and

then casted
 CASTING

Casting is defined as something that has been cast in a mould, an object formed
by the solidification of a fluid that has been poured or, injected into a mould.
7TH edtion GTP

Types of casting crucible

• Clay crucible

• Carbon crucible

• Quartz crucible

• Zirconia-alumina
 CASTING MACHINE
A) TORCH MELTING / CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE

The metal is melted in torch flame.

 ceramic crucible attached to broken arm of crucible.
After the metal has reached the casting temperature the machine is released
and spring triggers the rotational motion.
ZONES OF FLAME

1. No combustion zone 1 2 3 4

2. Combustion zone
3. Reducing zone
4. Oxidizing zone
B) Electrical resistance-heated casting machine

 In this current is passed through resistance heating conductor and automatic

melting of metal occurs.

 Prevents over heating

 C) INDUCTION MELTING MACHINE

 Melts base metal alloys of high melting temp.

 The alloy is melted by an induction field that develops within a crucible

surrounded by water cooled metal tubing.

 Consists of crucible with copper coil wound circularly.

D) VACUUM OR PRESSURE ASSISTED CASTING MACHINE

 Molten alloy is heated to casting temperature.

 Melt is drawn into the mould by gravity or vacuum

 RECOVERY OF A CASTING .

A) Trimming is done from the button end of the ring.

B) Investment is being pushed out of the casting ring.
C) The mould is broken open.
D) Investment is removed from the casting. Care must be taken to avoid damaging the
margin
 CLEANING OF CASTING

• After gold alloys casting has solidified, ring is removed & quenched in water.

• Casting using Phosphate bonded investment are not quenched but benched

cooled

• Oxide layers is formed on outer surface of the casting

• It is dissolved using 50% aqueous solution of Sulphuric or Hydrochloric acid

for not more than 2 minutes. (Marzouk)

 FINISHING POLISHING OF CASTING

A. Trial fit of casting on die

B. If it is satisfactory cut the sprue using carborundum disk

C. After seating the casting hand burnishing of marginal metal using ball or

beaver-tail burnisher is done.

C
D. Remaining sprue is removed using heatless stone or carborundum disk.

E. Grooves are accentuated using no 1 round bur.

F. Occlusion is checked by marking occlusal contacts with articulating paper.

G. Smoothing surfaces accessible to rubber polishing wheel.

H. Occlusal surface is finished using small knife-edge rubber disk

I. Proximal grooves and other inaccessible areas are polished using rubber point.

J. Applying Tripoli/ Buffing bar compound to occlusal surface using bristle disk.
K. Applying Tripoli/ Buffing bar compound to proximal surface using felt wheel.

L. Imparting luster using chamois wheel & rouge.

 CASTING DEFECTS

CLASSIFICATION OF DEFECTS

1) According to Phillips

• Distortion
• Surface roughness and irregularities
• Porosity
• Incomplete casting
2) According to location
• Internal
• external
 A) Distortion
Any distortion of casting is probably related to distortion of wax pattern

Causes-
• As investment hardens around the pattern
• If the thickness of the wax is decreased
• More setting expansion more is the distortion

Prevention-
• Proper manipulation and handling of the wax pattern
• Investing as early as possible.
B) Roughness , Irregularities and Discolouration

Surface roughness is defined as relatively finely spaced surface imperfection

whose height , width, and direction establish the predominant surface pattern .

Surface irregularities are isolated imperfections such as nodules, that are not
characteristic of the entire surface area.
Causes-
• Improper technique.

• Too much water is used in mixing the investment.

• Abrasion of the mould.

• Prolonged heating of gypsum bonded investment .

• Phosphate bonded investment- water droplet byproduct.

Prevention-

• Ratio of powder and liquid of the investment should be

accurate.

• Position and direction of the sprue should be proper.

• Proper burnout of wax pattern.

FACTORS RELATED TO SURFACE ROUGHNESS

• Air bubbles

• Water films

• Rapid heating rates

• Underheating

• Powder : liquid ratio

• Prolonged heating

• Temperature of the alloy

• Casting pressure

• Composition of the investment

• Foreign bodies

• Impact of molten alloy

• Pattern position

• Carbon inclusions
 C) Porosity

• Porosity can occur on external or internal region surface.

• Internal porosity weakens the casting.
• It can’t be prevented entirely, but can be minimized by proper
techniques.

Classification of porosity

Solidification defects Trapped gases Residual air

• Localized shrinkage porosity • Pinhole porosity

• Microporosity • Gas inclusion

• Subsurface porosity
 Localized shrinkage porosity

Site-
• Near the sprue-casting junction

Causes-
• Premature termination of molten metal during solidification.
• If sprue freezes in its cross-section before feeding of molten metal is completed.

Minimization
• By attaching one or more small sprues at most distant from main sprue
attachment.
 Suck-back porosity
Causes-
The entering metal impinges on to the mold surface & creates a higher localized
mould temperature in this region that is called as Hot spot.

A Hotspot may retain a localized pool of molten metal after other areas of casting
have solidified.

This in turn creates a shrinkage void that is called as Suck Back porosity

Minimization-
Flaring the point of sprue attachment

Reducing the casting temperature by about 30°C.

 Microporosity

Causes-
• Solidification is too rapid for microvoids to segregate to the liquid pool.
• Rapid solidification if the mold or casting temperature is too low

Minimization-
• By increasing the melt temperature.
• By increasing the mold temperature.
 Pinhole & gas inclusion porosity

Causes-
• Entrapment of gas during solidification
• Dislodgement of the particles of investment during casting

Minimization-
• Preheating the gold alloy in graphite crucible
• Adjusting the torch flame during melting .
 Subsurface porosity

Causes-
• simultaneous nucleation of gas & solid grain

Minimization-
• By controlling the rate at which molten meatal enters mould .

Phillips 11th edition

 Back pressure porosity

Site-
Cavity surface of crown or MOD casting.

Outer surface of the casting.

Causes-
• Inability of the air in the mold to escape through the pores of the investment.
• Pressure gradient that displaces the air pocket towards end of the investment.
• Casting temperature or mold temperature is low.
• Dense modern investment material.

Phillips 11th edition

Minimization-
• Proper burnout
• Sufficient high casting pressure.
• Proper L/P ratio
• Thickness of investment between tip of the investment & end iof the
ring should not be greater than 6mm

Phillips 11th edition

 Incomplete casting

Partially complete casting or no casting has been found due to incomplete filling of
mold by molten metal

Causes-
• Insufficient venting of the mold
• High viscosity of fused metal
• Incomplete elimination of wax

Phillips 11th edition

Minimization-
• Temperature of alloy should be raised above the liquidous
temperature.
• Pressure should be applied for at least 4 sec.

• Proper burnout should be carried out.

Phillips 11th edition

 References -

1. Evolution of restorative dentistry from past to present.( Indian journal of dental sciences 2017 vol-9)

2. Sturdevent art and science of operative dentistry 5th edition

3. Marzouk

4. Phillips science of dental materials. 11th edition

5. dental laboratory procedures – Rudd and Morrow vol 2

6. Materials used in dentistry – S.Mahalaxmi

7. Waxing Techniques to Develop Proper Occlusal Morphology in Different Occlusal Schemes (The

journal of Indian prosthodontic society Dec 2011)