Elastomeric Impression Material - Types & More

Elastomeric impression materials are flexible, durable substances used to create accurate dental or medical impressions by capturing fine details of the oral or body structures. This blog will cover Elastomeric Impression Materials, including their uses in dentistry, medical equipment and other medical fields. It will detail the various types of elastomeric materials such as polyvinyl siloxanes, condensation silicone, polyether, and polysulfide, highlighting their unique properties and applications.

What are Elastomeric Impression Material?

Elastomeric impression materials are advanced elastomer dental materials specifically designed to capture highly accurate and detailed molds of teeth and surrounding oral tissues. These materials are essential in various dental procedures, such as fabricating crowns, bridges, dentures, and orthodontic appliances. Unlike traditional impression materials, elastomeric impression materials are flexible and rubber-like, allowing them to adapt to the intricate contours of the oral cavity without distortion.

The precision of these materials ensures that the final elastomer dental materials restorations fit perfectly, minimizing adjustments and improving patient comfort. Elastomeric impression materials are also known for their excellent dimensional stability, meaning they maintain their shape and detail over time, even after the impression has been removed from the mouth. This stability is crucial for ensuring that the dental laboratory receives an accurate representation of the patient's oral anatomy, leading to better-fitting restorations and ultimately more successful dental outcomes.

Uses of Elastomeric Impression materials:

Fabrication of Dental Restorations: They are used to create highly accurate molds of teeth and gums, which are essential for fabricating crowns, bridges, veneers, inlays, and onlays.

Orthodontic Applications: These materials are employed to take precise impressions needed for the creation of orthodontic appliances, such as braces, aligners, and retainers.

Prosthodontics: They are used to make detailed impressions for the construction of complete or partial dentures, ensuring a comfortable and secure fit.

Implantology: Elastomeric materials are utilized in the planning and placement of dental implants, providing accurate elastomer impressions of the implant site and surrounding structures.

Diagnostic Models: Dentists use these materials to create accurate models of a patient’s oral cavity for diagnostic purposes, treatment planning, and patient education.

Types of Elastomeric Impression Materials:

Polyvinyl Siloxanes: The most widely used impression material in fixed prosthodontics, available in all consistencies (extra-low, low, medium, heavy, and putty). The base contains hydroxy-terminated polysiloxane polymer and fillers, while the accelerator contains diphenyl polysiloxane prepolymers, chloroplatinic acid, palladium, and fillers. The setting reaction involves crosslinking without by-products, though hydrogen gas may be produced. Advantages include excellent dimensional stability, elastic recovery, accuracy, and short setting time. Disadvantages include hydrophobicity and potential pitting in the cast.

Condensation Silicone: More affordable than other elastomeric materials, but prone to shrinkage and requiring immediate pouring. Available in extra-low, low, medium, and putty consistencies, the base contains hydroxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxane and fillers, while the accelerator contains tetraethyl silicate and tin octoate. The setting reaction releases alcohol, leading to dimensional deformation over time. Condensation silicone has good elastic recovery, pleasant odour, and accurate reproduction, but is hydrophobic and unstable due to reaction byproducts.

Polyether: Popular for requiring only a stock tray and single mix, polyether is available in light, medium, and heavy body consistencies. The base contains polyether, fillers, and plasticizers, while the accelerator contains alkyl aromatic sulfonates, inert oils, and plasticizers. The setting reaction forms polyether rubber. Polyether is hydrophilic, accurate, and has high dimensional stability but is the most rigid elastomer, which can make removal difficult. It may cause allergies due to sulfonate acid esters.

Polysulfide: The first elastomer introduced, useful for long working times but not recommended except for complete dentures. It is available in a two-paste system: base and accelerator. The base contains polysulfide prepolymer, filler, plasticizer, and sulphur, while the catalyst contains lead oxide, filler, plasticizers, and retarders. The setting reaction forms polysulfide rubber and water, affecting dimensional stability. Polysulfide is flexible, has good tear strength, and is biocompatible, but has a long setting time, bad odour, and messy handling.

Properties of Elastomeric Impression Materials:

Property	Description
Elastic Recovery	Ability to return to original shape after deformation, ensuring accuracy when removed from the mouth.
Dimensional Stability	Retains shape over time without significant shrinkage or expansion, crucial for accurate models.
Tear Strength	High resistance to tearing during removal, especially in areas with undercuts.
Flexibility	Adapts to complex dental structures without compromising impression accuracy.
Hydrophilicity	Effective in capturing details in moist environments, improving accuracy in the presence of saliva.
Setting Time	Relatively short setting time, enhancing patient comfort and clinical efficiency.
Compatibility with Gypsum	Compatible with gypsum products, ensuring accurate transfer of details to the model.

Different Brands of Elastomeric Impression Materials on Medikabazaar:

Find reputed brands available on Medikabazaar like Dentsply, Orikam etc.

Zhermack Indurent Gel Catalyst Elastomeric Impression Material: A high-quality catalyst gel designed to enhance the setting process of elastomeric impression materials, ensuring precise and consistent impressions.

Zhermack Zetaplus Refills Elastomeric Impression Material: A reliable refill option for the Zetaplus system, known for its excellent dimensional stability and accuracy in dental elastomeric impressions.

Light Body Kit Elastomeric Impression Material: A comprehensive kit providing light-bodied elastomeric impression material, ideal for capturing fine details in dental procedures.

Orikam Neopure C-silicone Kit Elastomeric Impression Material: A versatile C-silicone kit that offers easy handling and precise impression results, suitable for a variety of dental applications.

Dentsply Reprosil Regular Body Refill Elastomeric Impression Material: A dependable regular body elastomeric material, known for its superior detail reproduction and ease of use in dental impressions.

In conclusion, Elastomeric dental Impression Materials play a critical role in modern dentistry, offering precision, durability, and versatility in capturing detailed impressions for various dental applications. With different types like polyvinyl siloxanes, condensation silicone, polyether, and polysulfide, these materials cater to a range of clinical needs.

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