CASTING DEFECTS

INTRODUCTION

 The objective of the casting process is to provide a metallic duplication of missing tooth structure
with as much accuracy as possible.

DEFINITION

Casting: It is defined as something that has been cast in a mold; an object formed by the solidification of a
fluid that has been cast into a refractory mould(GPT-9).

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

1. Lombardas P, Carbunaru A, McAlarney ME, Toothaker RW, of Dental S, Oral Surgery NY.
Dimensional accuracy of castings produced with ringless and metal ring investment systems.
The Journal of prosthetic dentistry. 2010.
 Lombardas et al did a study to determine “Dimensional accuracy of castings produced with
ringless and metal ring investment systems”
 CONCLUSION-The ringless technique was clinically acceptable and can be used for the
fabrication of fixed prosthodontic restorations.
2. Prabhu KG, Eswaran MA, Phanikrishna G, Deepthi B. Sprue design alterations and its effect
on the properties of base metal alloy castings: An in vitro study. Journal of pharmacy &
bioallied sciences. 2015 Aug;7(Suppl2):S524.
 Prabhu et al did a study on to evaluate “Sprue design alterations and its effect on the properties of
base metal alloy castings: An in vitro study.”
 CONCLUSION: The bottleneck sprue, conical sprue, and cylindrical sprue designs did not exert
any apparent influence on the mass and microhardness.

CLASSIFICATION OF CASTING DEFECTS-

Defects in castings can be classified under four headings:

1. Distortion;
2. Surface roughness and irregularities
3. Porosity
A. Solidification defects
 Localized shrinkage porosity
 Microporosity
 Suck-back porosity
B. Trapped gases
 Pinhole porosity
 Gas inclusions
 Subsurface porosity
 Back pressure porosity
C. Residual air
4. Incomplete or missing detail
TYPES OF DEFECT, CAUSES AND ITS SOLUTION
TYPES OF CAUSES
DEFECTS
1. Localized -Using a sprue with a very small
shrinkage diameter
porosity & - Discrepancy in temperatures between
Incomplete the casting ring/ mold and the molten
casting alloy
-Insufficient casting pressure during the
casting process
- Incomplete elimination of wax and
incomplete venting
- Higher viscosity of the molten alloy
2. Micro -Solidification occurs too rapidly
porosity (when the mold or casting temperature
is too low).
3. Suck Back -Sprue attached at a right angle to the
Porosities wax pattern, creating a “hot spot”
4. Pin Hole -Occur due to the entrapment of gas
Porosity during solidification.
And Gas -Have spherical contour.
Inclusions -Many metals dissolve or occlude gases
when they are molten. On
solidification, absorbed gases are
expelled out leads toPinhole porosity
5. Subsurface -They may be caused by the
Porosity simultaneous nucleation of solid grains
and gas bubbles at the first moment that
the alloy freezes at the mold walls
-Fast entering metal forms rigid metal
skin at the surface of mold.
-Remaining metal solidifies ,shrinks
and gets pulled away from the rigid
skin leading to porosity below the rigid
skin
6. Back This is caused by the inability of the air
Pressure in the mold to escape through the pores
Porosity in the investment or by the pressure
gradient that displaces the air pocket
toward the end of the investment via
the molten sprue and button.
7. Distorted Distorted wax pattern
Casting
8. Rough -Excess moisture on pattern
SOLUTION
-Larger sprue diameter to allow
proper flow of molten metal into the
mold
-Sprue to be attached at the bulkiest
portion of the wax pattern directed
at45° to the surface
-Pressure on the arm of the casting
machine should be maintained for at
least 4 sec to allow the alloy to fill
the mould
-A vent of 0.5 mm in diameter
should be provided to allow escape
of gases
-Proper casting temperature of the
molten metal to be maintained
during casting
-Proper temperature to be
maintained
-Sprue should always be attached at
the bulkiest portion of the wax
pattern directed at 45° to the surface
-Reducing zone of the flame must
be used to avoid oxides forming on
the casting.
-This type of porosity can be
diminished by controlling the rate at
which the molten metal enters the
mold.
It can be prevented by use of the
dense modern investments,
by an increase in mold density
produced by vacuum investing,
and by the tendency for the mold to
clog with residual carbon
when the low-heat technique is
used.
Correct handling of wax
-Remove all moisture from
 Surface On -Water-powder ratio too high in mixing pattern, sprue former, and ring
Casting investment -Use correct water-powder
-Too much casting pressure, causing ratio
investment breakdown from force of -Do not wind machine too tightly
alloy -Use correct heating cycle for
-Prolonged overheating of gypsum- burnout procedure; do not heat
bound investment above 1290° F (700° C)
9. Improper -Improper handling of wax pattern -Hard wax can be used for wax
margin fit during removal from the oral pattern fabrication.
cavity -Careful handling of the pattern
during removal along the path of
insertion, taking care not to disturb
the margins
10. Air bubble -Air bubble entrapment during -Prevented by carrying out the
in the investing procedure mixing and investing procedure
Casting under vacuum
11. Water film -Pattern is slightly moved, jarred, or -Prevented by proper use of a
vibrated after investing wetting agent and proper care of the
invested casting ring
12. Contaminat -Reaction of the alloy with crucible -Choose appropriate crucible for
ion of the used each alloy
alloy -Crucible unable to withstand the
temperature
13. Pits in • Debris in mould -Join ingate, sprue former, and
casting • Dirty wax pattern with continuous smooth
• Loose debris in crucible surface with no jagged areas of
• Mould temperature too hot investment to be broken off and
pushed into mold ahead of alloy
-Use only clean, new wax for
patterns and sprue formers
-Use clean crucible for each casting
-Lower burnout temperature since
too high temperature causes
investment breakdown, producing
weak surface easily abraded by
alloy
14. Fins on -Over vibration during investment -Avoid over vibration and place
castings or disturbing ring during set investment ring in area free from
- Heating ring too rapidly causes disturbances until investment is
moisture in mold to form steam completely set
and rupture out mold -Heat mold slowly.
15. Contaminat -The casting held with steel tongs -Use of steel tongs should be
ion of the during pickling avoided
casting
16. Rounded -Incomplete burnout of wax Heat soak mould for 1 hour at
margins pattern minimum of 950° F (510° C) to
-Insufficient heating of alloy ensure elimination ofcarbon residue
before casting - Heat alloy to 150° F (57° C) above
-Margins melted while fusion temperature at moment of
attaching pattern to sprue or casting alloy
former -Keep pattern and sprue former in
-Improper diameter/length of sprue horizontal position when attaching,
restricts flow of alloy into mold; metal so that heat rising from instrument
freezes before margins are complete does not soften pattern
-Average casting should have
 10-gauge sprue approximately 6
mm long
17. Casting too -Excessive expansion -Use correct temperature
large -Use correct investment

18. Casting too -Too little mould -Heat the mould sufficiently
small expansion

CONCLUSION

 Successful casting procedures require meticulous attention to detail during the spruing and
investing procedures to ensure production of an accurate mold.
 Proper choice of the type of investment and knowledge of the properties of the investment
can aid in controlling the size of the final restoration.
 Proper sprue size, placement of liner, position of pattern in the ring, and cleanliness and
neatness of equipment all aid in production of a clean, well – fitting final restoration.

REFRENCES

1. Kenneth J. Anusavice. Philip’s Science of Dental Material. 11th Edition. St. Louis, Missouri:
Saunders Elsevier; 2003.
2. Robert Marrow, Kenneth Rudd, John Rhoads. Dental Laboratory Procedures Volume II. 2 nd
Edition. St. Louis, Missouri: Mosby; 1986
3. Lombardas P, Carbunaru A, McAlarney ME, Toothaker RW, of Dental S, Oral Surgery NY.
Dimensional accuracy of castings produced with ringless and metal ring investment systems.The
Journal of prosthetic dentistry. 2010 Jul 1;84(1):27 31.
4. Prabhu KG, Eswaran MA, Phanikrishna G, Deepthi B. Sprue design alterations and its effect on
the properties of base metal alloy castings: An in vitro study. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied
sciences. 2015 Aug;7(Suppl 2):S524.