Setting Characteristics: Dental Materials Assis. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Alfahdawi
Setting Characteristics: Dental Materials Assis. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Alfahdawi
Setting Characteristics: Dental Materials Assis. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Alfahdawi
Ibrahim Alfahdawi
Lec. 3
Setting Characteristics
The setting process begins rapidly after mixing the powder and water. The
first stage in the process is that the water becomes saturated with hemihydrate,
which has a solubility of around 0.8% at room temperature. The dissolved
hemihydrates is then rapidly converted to dehydrate which has a much lower
solubility of around 0.2%. Since the solubility limit of the dihydrate is
immediately exceeded, it begins to crystallize out of solution. The process
continues until most of the hemihydrate is converted to dihydrate. The crystals
of dihydrate are spherulitic inmnature and grow from specific sites called
nuclei of crystallization. These may be small particles of impurity, such as
unconverted gypsum crystals, within the hemihydrate powder. If a thin mix
of material is used, containing more water than that indicated in Table, the
formation of the supersaturated solution of dihydrate that is a precursor to
crystallization is delayed and the centres of nucleation are more widely
dispersed by the dilution effect. The set plaster is therefore less dense with
greater spaces between crystals leading to a significant reduction in strength.
The material should be used as soon as possible after mixing since its viscosity
increases to the stage where the material is unworkable within a few minutes.
1
Dental Materials Assis. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Alfahdawi
(Impurities) added to the mixture act as nuclei of crystallization and fasten
the setting time. Factors under the control of the operator are temperature,
W/P ratio, temperature, humidity and mixing time. Surprisingly, temperature
variation has little effect on the setting times of gypsum products. Increasing
the temperature accelerates the crystallization formation and lead to decrease
setting time.
Setting Expansion
2
Dental Materials Assis. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Alfahdawi
Therefore when maximum strength is required, a given material should be
mixed in as low W/P ratio as practicable. The limiting factor is the viscosity
of the mix, because it increases with decreasing W/P ratio and can become so
high that the ability to pour sound casts is prejudiced.
2. The effect of drying. Removal of all uncombined water from cast gypsum
by low-temperature drying approximately doubles strength properties, but
there is no strength increase until the last 2% of free water is removed. This
strength increase on drying is reversible; soaking a dry cast in water reduces
its strength to the original level. Two type of strength:
a. Wet strength (green strength) after 1h.
b. Dry strength after 24h.
3. The mixing. Increase mixing time lead to increase strength, but over mixing
lead to broken up of crystals formed and less crystalline interlocked result in
final products.
3
Dental Materials Assis. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Alfahdawi
c- Incorporation disinfection either powder or liquid.
However, prolonged immersion in disinfectant solutions can cause
unacceptably large dimensional changes in hydrocolloid and polyether
impressions. Moreover, during subsequent clinical procedures, casts or dies
can become reinfected with pathogenic organisms, which can then be
transferred to technical staff. As an alternative, the addition of disinfectants to
the mixing water when casts are poured has been investigated; 5% phenol and
2% glutaraldehyde have proved to be effective and did not adversely affect
the properties of the set material. However, both are known tissue irritants.
Dental stones that contain a disinfectant are available. Alternatively, casts and
dies may be treated by immersion in a disinfecting solution after each clinical
stage. Autoclave sterilization of casts has been suggested. Some loss of
strength and surface hardness and an increase in dimensions occur, but it is
claimed that under carefully controlled conditions the casts retain adequate
properties for ordinary laboratory use.