Elastic Impression Materials :

Hydrocolloids
 What are colloids ?
 Dissolving solid (solute) into Liquids
(solvent) could result in 1 of 3 states
1. Solution
2. Suspension
3. Colloid

 If the solvent of such colloid is the

water, the material is named
hydrocolloid
 Hydrocolloids
 Hydrocolloids are usually exist either in
Sol (Viscous liquid) or Gel (Jelly-like) form.

 The sol can change into gel through:

1. Physical (Reversible) reaction
Sol gel
2. Chemical (Irreversible) reaction
Sol gel
 Hydrocolloid impression
materials
 2 types of hydrocolloid can be used for making
impressions:
1. Agar (reversible hydrocolloid)
2. Alginate (irreversible hydrocolloid)

 To make an impression using hydrocolloid

materials,

The material should be introduced into patient’s

mouth in their sol state (To give sufficient flow and
register the details) and left inside to reach the gel
state (Setting) before removal.
 1. Agar Hydrocolloid
impression material
 The material is elastic and usually used in special
type of stock trays to make 2ry impressions for
fixed restoration (inlay, onlay, crown and bridge).
 Dental applications of agar
hydrocolloid
1. Making 2ry impression for inlay, only crown
and bridge work

2. Making agar-alginate impression

(Laminate impression technique)

3. Laboratory duplication of stone casts

4. Help in making acrylic dentures using the

fluid resin technique
Presentation forms
 Composition
1. Agar…. 12-15%
2. Water…. 85%
3. Borax…. (strengthening agent)
4. K2So4 …. (to overcome the retarding effect of
borax on gypsum cast material)
5. Thymol…. (Antifungal)
6. Coloring agent

Usually the consistency of the tray material is

higher than that of the syringe material as a
result of higher agar content
 Setting reaction
 The material changes from Sol to Gel via physical
reaction (Reversible hydrocolloid )
Heating at 70-100oC
Sol Gel
Cooling at 37-45oC

 Factors affecting the gelation time:

1. Sol Temperature 2. Cooling temperature
3. Agar content 4. Thickness of the material
5. Surface area
 Mode of material’s setting

Tray Tissue
Circulating water Water cooling system tray
13-18oC

Agar impression material

Oral tissues Mode of agar setting

 Material’s Conditioning

Boiling room Storage room Tempering room

(60-65oC) (45oC)
(100oC)

Syringe and Syringe and Tray material is

tray materials only tempered for
tray materials
stored up to 24 2 min.
left for 10-15
min. hrs.
 Properties
1. Biological properties
 Proper tempering of the agar tray material
is recommended to avoid burning of the
oral soft tissue

 Reusing of the agar impression material is

not advisable because of the possibility of
cross-infection
 Properties
2. Interfacial properties
 The material is is hydrophilic, easily flow over wet
tissues registering fine details.

 No separating medium is required at the time of

impression pouring

 Setting of polymeric die material is affected by the

water content of the agar

 Gypsum model material should be mixed with

hardening solution; otherwise a cast with chalky
easily abraded surface will result.
 Properties
3. Mechanical properties
 Agar has low tear strength as a result of the
higher water content , however jerk (Rapid)
removal of the set impression will help in
overcoming this drawback

 Agar material shows a lower degree of

permanent deformation than that of
alginate due to the absence of filler
particles within the composition
 Properties
4. Chemical properties
 Agar material sets via physical
reaction  can be reused

 A degree of shrinkage is expected on

material’s gelation (due to cooling)

 3 other reasons are responsible for

impressions’ dimensional changes
 Properties
1. Imbibition:
Agar material can absorb (Gain) water if
present in wet conditions  expansion

2. Synersis:
Agar material can exudates (Loss) water if
present in humid conditions shrinkage

3. Dehydration:
Agar material can evaporate (Loss) water if
present in dry conditions Shrinkage
 Properties
5. Practicability

 Making agar impression is complex and

sensitive procedure

 A special equipments (conditioner & water-

cooling system trays) are required

 Needs circulating cold water (18oC) to help

the gelation
 Properties
 Lengthy setting time could reach 8 min

 Jerk removal of the impression and

immediate pouring are both recommended

 Storage of impressions is risky and needs

certain precautions
 2. Alginate Hydrocolloid
impression material
Alginate impression material is elastic and
usually used in stock trays to make primary
impressions.

 Other applications:

1. Final impression for complete denture

2. Agar-Alginate impression technique

3. As wash material over 1ry compound impression

 Presentation forms
A. Powder to be mixed with water
- Regular & Fast set
- Dust free
- Chromatic

B. 2 paste system (Siliconized alginate)

 Powder composition
1. Sodium or potassium alginate  (The principal ingredient)

2. Calcium sulfate  (Reactor)

3. Na-phosphate  (Retarder)

4. Diatomaceous earth  (Filler)

5. Potassium sulfate  (Provides proper setting of gypsum

poured against the alginate impression)

6. Color indicator  in chromatic alginates

7. Glycol  in dust-free alginate coating the powder particles

 Setting reaction
 Chemical reaction named gelation
Calcium sulfate  Sodium phosphate
 Calcium phosphate  + Sodium sulfate   (1)

Calcium sulfate  Sodium alginate

 Insoluble calcium alginate  (2)

 The speed of the reaction is affected by;

1. L/P ratio 2. Temperature
3. Mixing rate 4. powder particle size
5. Additives
Mode of material’s setting

Tissue Tray
Stock tray

Alginate
impression material

Mode of
alginate setting

Oral tissues
Making the material ready
 Properties
1. Biological properties
 Alginate is biologically safe (Has no bad
effect on the patient health)

 Inhalation of dust at the time of

manipulation could precipitate bronchial
asthma in allergic patients. Accordingly,
dust-free alginate is advisable.
 Properties
2. Interfacial properties
 Alginate impression material is hydrophilic

 The material is able to register the complete

denture foundation. But, not used to make
final crown and bridge impressions

 No separating medium is required at the

time of impression pouring
 Properties
 Setting of polymeric die material is affected
by the water content of the alginate

 Gypsum model material should be mixed

with hardening solution, otherwise a cast
with chalky easily abraded surface will result.
 Properties
3. Mechanical properties
 Alginate has higher tear strength than that of
agar as a result of its filler content

 Jerk removal of the set impression is

recommended to minimize the rate of both
impression tearing and permanent
deformation
 Properties
4. Chemical properties
 Aliginate material sets via chemical reaction
(gelation) single use only

 Several factors such as temperature, liquid/powder

ratio, particle size, mixing rate and the amount of
retarder could affect the rate of the reaction and
the setting time.

 Imbibition, synersis, and dehydration are also

noticed with the material
 Properties
5. Practicability
 Making alginate impression is simple and less
sensitive procedure

 The powder container should be shacked very well

before dispensing the powder ratio to help in
redistributing the ingredients.

 The container should be hermetically sealed all the

time to avoid moisture contamination and
deterioration of material’s powder
 Properties
 Regular perforated or rim-lock stock trays
are recommended for making alginate
impression.

 Both the regular set and the fast set

alginates are available

 Jerk removal of the impression and

immediate pouring are both required

 Storage of impressions is risky and needs

certain precautions
 Agar-Alginate Impression
(Laminate impression)

Agar impression
material
Stock tray

Alginate overall
impression
Oral tissues

Prepared tooth

 Purpose: to overcome the complexity and high cost of making agar

impressions.

 How: register the fine details of the prepared teeth using syringe type agar
hydrocolloid and record the adjacent teeth using alginate

 The agar sets by the effect of alginate mixing water and both materials
cohere depending on their colloidal nature
 Care and handling of
hydrocolloid impressions
A. Dimensional stability:

Due to the ability of hydrocolloids to gain or loss

water (imbibitions, synersis and dehydration). A
considerable degree of Dim. Changes is expected
unless;

1. Immediate pouring of the impression in stone

2. Storage of impressions in 2% potassium sulfate or
100% humidity

100% humidity could be achieved by wrapping the

impression with wet paper towel and both are stored
in sealed plastic bag.
Thank you