Zinc oxide eugenol

impression paste
 Zinc oxide eugenol
( Rigid and inelastic )

Zinc oxide when mixed with eugenol forms a hard mass.

Wide application in dentistry:

Impression material for edentulous arches

Surgical dressing
Bite registration paste
Temporary filling material
Root canal filling material
A cementing medium
Temporary relining material for dentures
According to ADA specification
no. 16

Type I Type II
Or hard Or soft
 Composition
Percentage
Tube no. 1 (base) (White)
Zinc oxide 87
Fixed vegetable or mineral oil 13
Trace of water
Tube no. 2 (accelerator) (Brown)
Oil of clove or eugenol 12
Gum or polymerized rosin 50
Filler (silica type) 20
Lanolin 3
Resinous balsam 10
Accelerator solution (calcium chloride, zinc
5
acetate, primary alcohols & glacial acetic acid)
Vegetable and mineral oil – act as a plasticizer masks the
action of eugenol as irritant

Zinc oxide – should be finely divided & contains slight

amount of water

Oil of clove – reduces the burning sensation

Rosin – facilitates the speed of reaction & yields smoother

and homogenous product

Canada balsam & Peru balsam – increases flow and improves

properties

Filler (silica type) – to give strength

Accelerator – zinc acetate, calcium chloride, primary

alcohols and glacial acetic acid
 SETTING REACTION:

Acid base reaction / water based system.

ZnO + H2O Zn(OH)2

(initiator)

Zn(OH)2 + 2HE ZnE2 2H2O

(salt) (byproduct)
(base) (acid)
(eugenol) (zinc eugenolate)
Zinc eugenolate – is an amorphous gel which
crystallises

Zinc eugenolate – is matrix surrounding free zinc

oxide particles
Setting reaction accelerated by:

Zinc acetate dihydrate – more soluble than zinc hydroxide and

supply zinc ions rapidly.

High atmospheric temperature

Humid environment

Acetic acid – more active catalyst. It increases the formation

rate of zinc hydroxide
Mode of supply:

In paste forms in two tubes

base paste ( white in colour )
accelerator or reactor or catalyst paste ( red in colour )
 Manipulation

Mixing of two pastes on an oil impervious paper /glass slab.

Proper proportion – squeezing two strip of pastes of same

length
Mixing – stainless steel spatula

Two strips are combined with the first sweep of spatula.

Mixing time – 1min. Till uniform color is obtained

Setting time:

Initial setting time – from beginning of mixing until

material stops to pull away or string out when touched with
instrument
3 – 6 min.

Final setting time - it is defined as the time when the

material is hard enough to resist penetration under load.

type I (hard) paste - 10min.

type II (soft) paste - 15min.
 Factors controlling setting time
Decreasing setting time

Accelerator - zinc acetate.

drop of water added to eugenol before mixing

Particle size – small and acid coated … setting time

is less

Longer mixing time

Longer mixing time

Body temperature & saliva - accelerates the

reaction …………… setting faster …………… setting time
is reduced.
 Factors controlling setting time
Increasing setting time
Cooling of spatula & mixing slab …… prolongs setting
time …………… accelerates setting time (if the
temperature not lower the point).

Addition of inert oils and waxes …………… prolong

setting …………… increases setting time …………… reduces
rigidity …………… inhomogeneous mix.

Altering ratio of two paste -

Physical & mechanical properties:

Viscosity -

thick paste thin & fluid

material

Compress tissues Tissues recorded in

relaxed condition
with no compression
Detail reproduction
of soft tissues
Flow -

ADA ----- 16 , spread is

type I ……… 30 – 50 mm.

type II ……… 20 – 45 mm.

Decreased flow Shorter setting time

Shorter time interval between

initial & final set
Rigidity -

Paste impressions should be unyielding when

removed from the mouth and should resist
fracture

Strength -

Compressive strength – 7 Mpa ( 1000 psi ) 2 hours

after mixing.
Dimensional stability -

Satisfactory

Negligible shrinkage < 0.1 % during hardening

Preserved indefinitely without change in shape

As used with special tray, tray may pose

limitations on dimensional stability of whole
impression.
Advantages -

Sufficient consistency

Sufficient working time

Checked in mouth without deformation

Accurate surface details

Dimensionally stable

Does not stick to cast

Disadvantages -

Eugenol – burning sensation

Requires special tray

Sticky in nature and adheres to skin and

instruments, difficult to clean

Tissue irritation – sometimes

Cannot be used to make impression of teeth

and undercut areas – as it is inelastic
impression material
 Non – eugenol pastes
Came into the existence due to the following factors:

burning sensations by eugenol

zinc oxide eugenol reaction never completed therefore

free eugenol may leach out.

eugenol taste is disagreeable

surgical packs for several days causes chronic

gastric disturbance
Chemical reaction:

ZnO + 2 RCOOH (RCOO)2 Zn + H2O

(Carboxylic
acid group)

Zinc oxide can react with various carboxylic acids

and form ZOE like materials

Orthoethoxybenzoic acid (EBA) is a substitute for

eugenol

This reaction is not affected by temperature or

humidity.

Medicaments and bactericides can be incorporated

without interfering with reaction.