Do you know how dentists prepare perfect and properly fitting dentures, crowns and aligners for patients? Dental Impressions are the secret behind this to ensure proper and perfect fitting of dental restorations. The accuracy in dental impression process ensures the performance and aesthetics of a veneer, teeth guard and crown.
In the article below, we will describe what are dental impressions, types of dental impressions and steps of dental impression process. You will be able to achieve high quality and professional results for your dental impression process after reading the full article. Let’s dive into the details of what are dental impressions and the common types of dental impressions.
What are Dental Impressions: A Brief Overview
The precise molds of a patient’s gums and teeth to serve as blueprint for customized dental restorations are called dental impressions. They enable dentists to create properly fitting dental aligners, dentures, crowns and dentures by capturing all details of oral structure. The dental impression process is completed by using different materials like silicone, alginate, and digital scanners to capture the position and alignment of teeth. The materials and types of dental impressions are discussed below in full details for your easy understanding. Learning what are dental impressions is crucial for all dentists and professional aiming to achieve top results. Make sure to use the best quality dental equipment like Aidite dental equipment for ease of your process and patient satisfaction.
The Main Types of Dental Impressions:
There are different types of dental impressions used in modern dentistry and each is equally useful for specific purposes and diagnostics. All these ensure top-notch accuracy for different scenarios, starting from initial assessment to final dental restoration. The main types of dental impression processes are described below.
Preliminary Dental Impressions:
These impressions are made of quick setting material like alginate to evaluate the oral anatomy and plan treatment procedure. These are cost-effective and less precise but are essential to create a baseline for the final restoration. They cover all the details of pa atient’s oral structure and help dentist in planning and fabricating denture or orthodontic cases.
Final Impressions:
These types of dental impressions are created using high-accuracy materials like polyether and polyvinyl siloxane to capture and prepare micro level details of gum and teeth. They are mostly used while creating prosthetics, dental bridges, crowns and veneers. These material minimize distortion and shrinkage during laboratory process and enhance material properties.
Bite Registration Dental Impressions:
The bite registration impressions are used to record the articulation of upper and lower tooth with wax or other pastes. They ensure proper alignment of dental arches during prostheses designing and are commonly used for complex restorations and full-mouth rehabilitation. This dental impression process is perfect for the occlusal relationship.
Digital Dental Impressions:
The digital impressions have revolutionized the traditional methods with digital scanning. This has eliminated the need of conventional materials and gag reflexes by using intraoral scanners like Aidite scanners to create 3D models. These types of digital impressions offer improved accuracy and are perfect for creating implants, invisalign, and dental crowns.
What are Dental Impressions Used For?
As you have learned about what are dental impressions, let’s understand why they are used in dentistry. In simple words, the dental impressions serve as an essential roadmap to creating and preparing customized restorations and oral appliances for patients. These molds help in fabrication of various dental solutions and planning accurate treatment. The common uses of dental impression process are listed below.
- Crafting veneers, crowns and bridges
- Designing partial or full dentures for teeth
- Creating orthodontic appliances and aligners
- Producing custom dental night guards
- For surgical guide implants
- Treatment plans and study models
Material Used In Dental Impressions Process:
The success of dental impression process is dependent on the material used for it. Each material offers unique properties to tackle various issues. The most common materials used for creating impressions are listed below.
Hydrocolloids:
These materials are the most commonly used and economical option for all with a quick setting time. The materials like alginate forms a gel with mixed with water with in 5 minutes and ensure patient’s comfort and detailed coverage of dental structure. The hydrocolloid materials are best for orthodontic models, prosthetic cases and preliminary impressions.
Elastomeric Materials:
This category of dental impression materials include silicone and polyether materials to provide perfection and accuracy for definitive impressions. Silicone offers excellent dimensional stability and strength with the ability of reproduction. It is available in both light and heavy body viscosities. On the other hand, the Polyether is known for its exceptional surface detailing, stiffness and rigid set. The removal from undercut areas can be difficult due to its stiffness.
Other Materials:
Materials like zinc oxide and plaster are used for specialized purposes in different types of dental impressions. These materials can not be used in undercut areas because of their inflexibility but can cover the details of edentulous ridges and occlusal relationships. The final selection of material still depends on the specific dental procedure, patient comfort, and required precision.
Step-by-Step Dental Impressions Process:
A meticulous sequence is necessary to follow in dental impression process to ensure professional and top-quality results. As learning what are dental impressions and steps of this process are necessary to learn for all dentists, let’s understand this sequence.
Preparation Phase:
In this step, the dentist starts with a deep examination of the oral anatomy of the patient and select the most suitable tray size. The moisture and on-surface food particles are removed with the help of retraction cords and cotton rolls. The dentist also explains the dental impression process to the patient to minimize their anxiety and tension. The preparation step is common and necessary for all types of dental impressions.
Application of Material:
After proper cleaning and preparation, the material is carefully mixed as per the manufacturer’s instructions and applied using dental trays. Both upper and lower teeth are captured simultaneously in the case of the dual-arch dental impression process. It is important to keep the tray steady and prevent movement during the material application process.
Setting and Adjustment:
After a successful application, it is crucial to adjust and set the material accordingly. The impression is inspected for drags, bubbles, and voids after removing the tray and if necessary reapplied.
Post Impression Procedure:
In this step, the final impression is rinsed and disinfected according to laboratory protocols. Normally, the impressions are stone poured or stored to ensure durability and perfection.
Benefits of Dental Impression Process:
The most common benefits of different types of dental impressions are listed below.
- Optimal fitting and function
- Enhanced comfort
- Visual aesthetics
- Time saving and cost-effective
- Improved oral health
- Long-term durability and versatility
FAQs:
1. Are dental impressions painful?
No, dental impressions are generally painless. You may feel slight pressure or discomfort, but the process is quick and safe.
2. How long do dental impressions take?
Traditional dental impressions usually take a few minutes. Digital impressions are even faster and more comfortable.
3. Are digital dental impressions better?
Digital impressions offer more accuracy, comfort and faster results compared to traditional impressions. They are ideal for modern dental procedures.
Conclusion:
The dental impression process is a perfect solution for creating perfectly fitting dental restorations, veneers, bridges, and implants. There are different types of dental impressions used for various purposes and to achieve optimal results. Using modern dental tools and equipment like Aidite dental equipment enhances the patient’s comfort and process success. Learning what are dental implants is necessary for dentists focused on offering high-quality results to their patients.