INDIAN DENTAL JOURNAL

Official Publication of Society of Medical Dental & Public Health

INTER OCCLUSAL RECORD MATERIALS USED FOR PATIENTS UNDER

GOING PROSTHODONTIC REHABILITATION
Dr. Gaurav Singh 1
1
Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, ZA Dental College, AMU, Aligarh, India
Address for Correspondence: Dr. Gaurav Singh, Department of Prosthodontics, ZA Dental College, AMU,
Aligarh, India.
E-mail: singh.gaurav74@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
The precise mounting of casts in the articulator is important for success of any prosthetic rehabilitation
and treatment, it is very much essential to achieve harmony between the maxillomandibular relationship
and anatomy of patient. This relationship is not simple opening or closing, but a complex relationship
which exists in 3 dimensions. Variations may occur in any direction vertical, anteroposterior, or
mediolateral. Thus, it is necessary to record this relationship with the least possible error to obtain a
successful prosthesis. However when relating the maxillary and mandibular dental casts, the ultimate
accuracy depends on accuracy and dimensional stability of the material and the technique used to record
the maxillomandibular relationship.

KEYWORDS: Interocclusal Recording Material, Occlusion, Fixed Partial Denture

I NTRODUCTION - Most of the

patients undergoing prosthodontic
rehabilitation present with poor
intercuspation of the remaining dentition .In
such cases, the casts cannot be positively
analysis, diagnosis and rehabilitation
treatment.(Carroll et al., 1988; Dawson,
1993). Due the fact that the CR is a
determined position by
temporomandibular joint, it is fundamental
the

articulated in a reproducible position and the
use of inter occlusal record medium
becomes a must .The success of treatment,
in general, depends on many aspects that are
related to the fidelity of cast mounting on
the articulator. The interocclusal registration
material records the occlusal relationship
between the natural and / or artificial teeth
for planning occlusal rehabilitation and for
construction of removable and fixed partial
dentures. The goal in the success of
removable and fixed partial denture is
achieved when maxillomandibular centric
relation is recorded accurately1
Centric relation (CR) is the horizontal
relation usually utilized for occlusion
that no muscular activity interferes in the
mandibular position and, therefore, all
neuro-protector reflexes must be avoided
during registration2 (Lucia, 1964; Calagna et
al., 1973; Woelfel, 1986). The utilization of
interocclusal records is necessary for the
mounting of casts in CR because this gives
support and stability to these casts and
allows relation without contact of occlusal
surfaces3
Ideal Requirements of Interocclusal Bite
Registration Materials4:
1. Limited resistance before setting to avoid
displacing the teeth of mandible during
closure.
2. Rigid or resilient after setting.

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3. Minimal dimension changes after setting.
4. Accurate record of the incisal and
occlusal surface of teeth.
5. Easy to manipulate.
6. No adverse effects on the tissues involved
in recording procedure.
7. The interocclusal record is verifiable.
Types of Interocclusal Recording
5
medium
1. Plaster of Paris
2. Zinc oxide eugenol pastes.
3. Acrylic resin
4. Polyether elastomers.
5. Silicone elastomers
THERMOPLASTIC WAXES
The thermoplastic waxes are most
commonly used for interocclusal registration
or as a carrier for registration. Although wax
is probably the most maligned, it is yet the
most versatile and widely accepted material.
This is due to its cost and clinical flexibility
of waxes that it can be corrected, modified,
changed and verified with comparative ease6
Wax is softened and placed against the
upper arch to indent it. The mandible is
guided to CR and patient closes into wax.
However studies have demonstrated that
wax as an interocclusal records material
when compared to other materials are
inaccurate, unstable, inconsistent, and
susceptible to distortion on removal from
mouth. As a result they can interfere with
passive and active mandibular movement.
Distortion more frequently seen in a vertical
direction followed by anteroposterior
direction.
Bite registrations are often made from 28-
gauge casting wax sheets or from hard
baseplate
INDIAN DENTAL JOURNAL
Official Publication of Society of Medical Dental & Public Health
Wax, but waxes identified as bite waxes
seem to be formulated from beeswax or
hydrocarbon
Waxes such as paraffin or ceresin. Certain
bite waxes contain aluminium or copper
particles.
There are no ADA or federal specifications
for bite waxes7.
TECHNIQUE
A wax interocclusal centric relation record
is made before the abutments are prepared.
Then the abutments are prepared and
another interocclusal record is made with a
half of sheet of softened wax. The wax is
molded into the shape of the dental arch and
is positioned on the teeth and the patient is
asked to close the jaws or, the mandible is
guided into centric relation. Then patient is
asked to open and close the mouth several
times. The wax is cooled with water, while
the teeth are held together, the patient is
asked to open the mouth and the wax is
cooled further. The total cooling must be at
least two minutes8. The wax record is
removed from the mouth and is allowed to
cool for on a minute under running water.
The wax record is trimmed for possible
interferences and is returned to the mouth.
The trimming for possible interferences is
done by shaving the wax with a sharp blade
to prevent its distortion. The seating of
record on the teeth and closure must be
precise. The registration is compared with
the record made prior to abutment
preparation9
PLASTER OF PARIS
Impression plaster is based on calcined
calcium sulphate hemihydrate, which reacts
with water to form a hard mass of calcium
sulphate dihydrate. This setting reaction is
associated with an expansion of 0.3-0.6%.
When this is within the confines of an
impression tray it will lead to a significant
10

reduction in accuracy. Mixing the plaster
with anti-expansion solution (containing 4%
potassium sulphate and 0.4% borax) will
reduce this. The potassium sulphate reduces
expansion to 0.05%, but this also accelerates
the setting reaction, and borax is added as a
retarder, which gives more time to take the
impression.
Records of impression plaster are accurate,
rigid after setting, and do not distort with
extended storage. Studies show that the
plaster records, along with a few others
showed the least 3 dimensional changes
after 30 min of storage and remained
dimensionally stable for more than 24
hours10.
However, the use of plaster is more
complicated than wax or zinc oxide eugenol
paste. It is difficult to handle because the
material is fluid and unmanageable prior to
setting. The final inter occlusal record is
brittle.
TECHNIQUE
Impression plaster is applied over the top of
the recording plate and the patient is asked
to close in centric relation11. The impression
plaster on the adjacent teeth is cut away so
that a rectangular contact area in plaster
remains. Undercuts due to adverse tooth
contours are reduced to assure removal of
the plaster without chipping or cracking the
record. Right angle cuts are made on buccal
and lingual /palatal indices of the teeth
adjacent to the copings. The interocclusal
record and the buccal and lingual /palatal
indices are removed and are reassembled.
The dies are positioned in the record and a
master cast is poured12.
ZINC OXIDE EUGENOL PASTE
Zinc oxide Eugenol paste is an effective and
reliable interocclusal registration material. It
is simple to use, sufficiently rigid and easy
to store. It offers many advantages such as13
INDIAN DENTAL JOURNAL
Official Publication of Society of Medical Dental & Public Health
1) Fluidity before setting –Fluidity is a
critical quality of an interocclusal
registration material because it ensures
minimal interference with mandibular
closure during record making procedures.
2) Adhesion to its carrier.
3) Rigidity and inelasticity after final set.
4) Accuracy in recording occlusal and
incisal surfaces of the teeth.
5) High degree of repeatability
However, it dehydrates and becomes
significantly brittle so it can sticks to the
teeth and important portions of the record
may be lost due to breakage. Certain studies
do not recommend the use of zinc oxide
eugenol paste as it is extremely variable
with lengthy setting time and can result in
open cast relationship
TECHNIQUE
A frame is used to carry the paste into
position between the teeth. Sufficient paste
is mixed to cover both sides of the gauze
and to register half of the length of the
abutments and at least one adjacent tooth.
The frame is placed distal to the last tooth to
prevent impingement upon the metal of the
frame14. The patient is asked to close in
centric relation. The record is removed from
mouth after the paste has set. The
interocclusal record is then removed from
the frame and is used for mounting the cast
ACRYLIC RESIN
The most frequent application of acrylic
resin for interocclusal records is the
fabrication of single stop centric occlusion
records. It is supplied in powder and liquid
form15.
COMPOSITION
Powder - Polymer – Polymethyl
methacrylate, benzyl peroxide.
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Liquid - Monomer – Methyl methacrylate
- Tertiary amine – Dimethyl Para toluidine
It is accurate and rigid after setting. It has
Initial hardening time is 30 minutes.
The dimensional instability is due to
continued polymerization shrinkage, rigidity
of the material which can damage plaster
cast and dies during mounting on the
articulator.
TECHNIQUE
Apply petroleum jelly over occlusal surfaces
of teeth. Measure monomer and polymer
according to manufacturer’s
recommendations wait until dough stage is
reached. Form dough patty into a flattened
shape approximately 2mm thick. Keep it
over occlusal surfaces of teeth. Guide
mandible to centric position and ask patient
to occlude. Wait for final set according to
manufacturer’s instructions. Trim the excess
and recheck the record16.
POLYETHER ELASTOMERS
Polyether interocclusal registration materials
are supplied as two paste systems containing
plasticizer such as glycol ether or phthalate
and filler such as colloidal silica .
The advantages of this material as an
interoclussal record material such as
accuracy, stability after polymerization and
during storage, fluidity and minimal
resistance to closure, can be used without
carrier17.
Disadvantages are that resiliency and
accuracy may exceed the accuracy of plaster
casts.
Both of these factors can interfere with the
placement of the plaster cast into the
recording medium during mounting
procedures18
TECHNIQUE
INDIAN DENTAL JOURNAL
Official Publication of Society of Medical Dental & Public Health
Place the material over the occlusal surface
of teeth. Guide mandible to centric and ask
patient to occlude, wait for final set
according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Trim the excess and recheck the record19.
SILICONE ELASTOMERS
Two types of elastomers are available as
interocclusal registration materials.
1. Addition silicone
2. Condensation silicone.
They are highly accurate, and were found to
be dimensionally stable over a period of
48hrs. The other advantages are minimal
resistance to closure and does not require a
carrier.
However the disadvantages are minimum
working time, resistance to compression of a
set material which contributes to difficulty
in the seating of plaster casts20.
TECHNIQUE
Take equal amount of base paste and
catalyst paste and mix according to
manufacturer’s instructions obtaining a
streak free mixture. Load the syringe by
maintaining a slight angle while scraping the
pad. Place the material over the occlusal
surface of teeth. Guide mandible to centric
and ask patient to occlude, wait for final set
according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Trim the excess and recheck the record21.
CONCLUSION
Interocclusal records were utilized in the
following situations:
1.) In the registration of centric relation, an
interarch relation, (A) for diagnosis and
treatment of natural teeth by means of
articulated casts, and (B) in the diagnosis
and treatment of edentulous or partially
edentulous patients by means of occlusal
12

rims mounted on an articulator (Wirth,
1971).
2.) In the registration of centric occlusion.
This is an important objective in the
fabrication of single crowns or fixed partial
dentures.
An interocclusal record is a precise
recording of maxillomandibular position it
should be capable of maintaining extreme
accuracy even under such varying condition
as storage and handling even though a
record may appear to be fixed and accurate
it may still undergo dimensional changes
which can only be evaluated
microscopically the clinical change in
interocclusal record can be only evaluated
REFERENCES
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INDIAN DENTAL JOURNAL
Official Publication of Society of Medical Dental & Public Health
by dentist or by the patient in reference to
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 INDIAN DENTAL JOURNAL
Official Publication of Society of Medical Dental & Public Health

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