Impression Materials and Techniques

Impression materials are used to produce a detailed replica of the teeth and the tissues of the oral cavity. From the replica or impression, a model can be made which is used in the construction of full dentures, partial dentures, crowns, bridges and inlays. Numerous impression materials and techniques are available for taking impression in restorative dentistry. Better understanding of the Impression materials and their manipulative variables aid in successful restorations. Now a days, rubber base impression materials are becoming popular because of their accuracy, dimensional stability, possibility of multiple pours, with better working and setting characteristics. But the necessity of rigid carrier and soft tissue management become mandatory for the elastic impression techniques. Many impression materials are already doing well because of their accuracy and stability; while many more are being introduced with their advantages over the older ones. Some materials and techniques (auto mix) are cleaner, faster and easier to use than previous techniques and adapt fewer complex procedures. Though the type of impression materials and techniques varies with the preference of dentists,