DENTAL CASTING

DEFECTS
 DEFECTS IN CASTING
A casting defect is an irregularity in the metal casting
process that is undesired.
Errors in the procedure often results in defective castings.
Defects in casting can be classified under the following
headings:-
1) Distortion
2) Dimensional changes
3) Discoloration
4) Surface roughness and irregularities
 DEFECTS IN CASTING
5) Porosities in castings----Internal Porosities
• Porosities caused by cooling and solidification Localized Shrinkage
Suckback Porosity
Microporosity
Subsurface Porosity
• Porosities caused by gas-- Pin hole
Gas Inclusions

-----External Porosities eg Back Pressure Porosity

6) Incomplete Castings
1) DISTORTION
2) DIMENSIONAL CHANGES
Causes-
• Incorrect choice of investment material
• Wrong powder/liquid ratio of investment used
• Incorrect temperature used to heat investment during burnout
• Inadequate time used during burnout
3) DISCOLOURATION
This usually a problem with gypsum-bonded investment materials.
The investment may disintegrate when heated beyond 700 degrees C

This causes castings to appear dark and tarnished due to deposition of

SO3

Pickling is the main remedy when such tarnish occurs

Sandblasting is the better option nowadays
 4) SURFACE ROUGHNESS
Causes-

• Investment material not wetting the wax pattern

• Air bubbles attached to the pattern
• Rough wax pattern
• Improper water/powder ratio of investment material used
• Under-heating of the mold
• Prolonged heating of the mold
5)POROSITIES
INTERNAL POROSITIES
Causes—
• Use of long, thin sprue wax
• Reservoir not used in the sprue design
• Inadequate heating of the mold
Usually in the interior of a crown at the junction of the sprue and the
crown
Formation of a “hot spot”(higher localized mold temperature) occurs
created by the hot metal impinging from the sprue on the mold wall.
“Hot spot” may retain a localized pool of hot metal, leading to
shrinkage called suckback porosity
Remedy---
• Flare the sprue design so as not to create a hot spot
• Reduce the mold-metal temperature differentials
Scattered throughout the internal portion of the casting and is irregular in
shape
Cause is---
Rapid rate of solidification of the alloy, resulting in solidification shrinkage
throughout the fitting surface
Causes—
• Faster rate of entry of metal in the mold
• Faster rate of solidification of the metal in the mold
Both these are the result of gases becoming trapped in the castings
during solidification. The pin-hole porosities are much smaller than gas
inclusion type
Certain metals in molten state (Pt/Pd, Ag) have high affinity for gases
like hydrogen/oxygen. When solidifying, these gases are expelled and
pin-hole porosities are created
Caused by entrapment of gases during the casting process. Usually
happens when reducing flame is not used to heat metal (if using
crucible-flame method)
EXTERNAL POROSITIES
BACK-PRESSURE POROSITY
Causes—
• Air entrapped in the molten alloy
• Non-porous nature of the investment material
• Incomplete elimination of wax residues
• Improper time/temperature of burnout carried out
6)INCOMPLETE CASTINGS
Causes—
• Blockage of ingate area with residues/debris
• Back pressure due to gases entrapped in the mold
• Insufficient pressure on the molten metal while casting
• Pre-solidification of the metal before reaching the mold
• Inadequate speed of entry of metal in the mold
• Insufficient alloy quantity
• Faulty sprue design