Dental Waxes

Assist.Prof.Firas SULEYMAN
Departmant of Prosthodontics
The waxes used in dentistry normally consist of two or more components which may
be natural or synthetic waxes, resins, oils, fats and pigments.
Blending is carried out to produce a material with the required properties for a
specific application.
Waxes are thermoplastic materials which are normally solids at room temperature but
melt, without decomposition, to form mobile liquids.
They are, essentially, soft substances with poor mechanical properties and their
primary uses in dentistry are to form patterns of appliances prior to casting.
 Requirements of wax-pattern materials

1) The wax pattern must conform to the exact size, shape and contour of the

appliance which is to be constructed.

(2) No dimensional change should take place in the wax pattern once it has been

formed.

(3) After formation of the casting mould, it should be possible to remove the

wax by boiling out or burning without leaving a residue.

COMPONENTS OF DENTAL WAXES
Dental waxes contain natural waxes, synthetic waxes and additives
CHEMICAL NATURE OF WAXES

Natural waxes are complex combinations of organic compounds of reasonably high molecular weight.

The two principal groups of organic compounds contained in waxes are:

 Hydrocarbons, e.g., saturated alkanes, and

 Esters, e.g., myricyl palmitate.

Some waxes in addition contain free alcohol and acids (Ester—formed from union of higher fatty acids

with higher aliphatic alcohol with elimination of water).

MINERAL WAXES

Paraffin and microcrystalline waxes A distillation products of petroleum. They are both

hydrocarbons. Paraffin (melts 40-70°C) tends to be brittle.

Microcrystalline (60 - 90°C) is more flexible and tougher.

Bees wax Its addition reduces brittleness.

PLANT WAXES

Carnauba and ouricury Carnauba occurs as fine powder on the leaves of certain tropical plants.

Melting range: 84 - 91°C. Ouricury melts between 79-84°C. Both raise melting range and

hardness of paraffin.

Candellila (68 to 75°C) Mainly hardens paraffin wax.

Japan wax and cocoa butter Are not true waxes but are chiefly fats. Japan wax is tough,

malleable and sticky and melts at 51°C. Cocoa butter is brittle.

Japan wax improves tackiness and emulsifying ability of paraffin.

INSECT WAX

Beeswax (63 - 73°C) Brittle at room temperature, plastic at body temperature.

ANIMAL WAX

Spermaceti is obtained from the sperm whale. It is not widely used. Mainly used as a coating for

dental floss.
SYNTHETIC WAXES

The natural waxes are not consistent in their composition, and thus their properties. To overcome this,

synthetic waxes are used. These are carefully prepared under controlled conditions to give standardized

reliable results. They are highly refined unlike natural waxes which are frequently contaminated.

Their use is still limited.

Ozokerite: It is an earth wax found in western US and central Europe. It improves the physical

characteristics of paraffin.

Ceresin: It is obtained from petroleum and lignite refining. They are harder and are used to raise melting

range of paraffin.

Barnsdahl: It raises melting range and hardness, reduces flow of paraffin.

WAX ADDITIVES

Montan: It is hard, brittle and lustrous.

Gums: They are viscous, amorphous exudates from plants that harden when exposed to air. They are complex

substances mainly made of carbohydrates. They either dissolve in water or form sticky, viscous liquids, e.g.,

gum Arabic and tragacanth.

Fats: They are tasteless, odorless and colorless substances. They are similar to wax but have lower melting

temperatures and are softer. Chemically they are composed of glycerides, e.g., beef tallow and butter. They

can be used to increase melting range and hardness of waxes.

Oils: They lower the melting point of paraffin. Hydrocarbon oils soften waxes. Silicone oils improve ease of

polishing of waxes.
Resins are exudates of certain trees and plants (except shellac which is from insects). They are complex,

amorphous mixtures of organic substances. They are insoluble in water. They improve toughness. They

are also used to make varnishes (by dissolving in an organic solvent).

Synthetic resins are also used.

CLASSIFICATION OF DENTAL WAXES
ACCORDING TO ORIGIN (DESCRIBED EARLIER)

 Mineral  Insect

 Plant  Animal

ACCORDING TO USE

Pattern waxes Processing waxes Impression waxes

Inlay casting Boxing Corrective
RPD casting Utility Bite registration
Base plate Sticky
GENERAL PROPERTIES

Waxes have a number of important properties in relation to their dental use.

Different uses require different properties. Waxes for patterns probably require most careful

balance. Some of the important properties are:

1. Melting range

2. Thermal expansion

3. Mechanical properties

4. Flow

5. Residual stresses

6. Ductility.
MELTING RANGE

Waxes have melting ranges rather than melting points. Mixing of waxes may change their melting

range. Melting range varies depending on its use.

THERMAL EXPANSION

Waxes expand when subjected to a rise in temperature and contract as the temperature is decreased.

Coefficient of thermal expansion and its importance Dental waxes and their components have the

largest CTE among the materials used in restorative dentistry. Temperature changes in wax patterns

after removal from the mouth, can produce inaccuracies in the finished restoration.
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

The elastic modulus, proportional limit and compressive strength of waxes are low compared to other dental

materials. These properties are strongly dependent on the temperature. As temperature decreases, the

properties improve.

FLOW
Flow is an important property, especially in inlay waxes. When melted the wax should flow readily into all
the parts of the die. Flow is dependent on:
 Temperature of the wax
 Force applied
 The length of time the force is applied.
Flow increases as the melting point of the wax is approached.
RESIDUAL STRESS

Regardless of the method used to make a wax pattern, residual stresses will exist in the

completed pattern. The stress may be compressive or tensile in nature.

DUCTILITY

Like flow, the ductility increases as the temperature of the wax is increased. In general, waxes

with low melting points have greater ductility than those with high melting points.
 PATTERN WAXES

Many dental restorations or prostheses are first made with pattern waxes. The wax is later replaced with the

permanent material, e.g., cast gold alloys, cobaltchromium- nickel alloys, or polymethyl methacrylate resin. All

pattern waxes have two major qualities which cause serious problems in their use—thermal change in

dimension and tendency to warp or distort on standing, e.g., inlay casting wax, RPD casting wax and baseplate

wax.

TYPES
1. Casting waxes
 Inlay
 Removable partial denture (the metal frame)
2. Baseplate wax (used in the construction of complete and partial denture).
INLAY CASTING WAX
USES

The pattern for inlays, crowns and FPDs is first made in wax (Fig.), and then replaced by metal during
casting.
Direct and indirect techniques If the pattern is made directly in the tooth (in the mouth), it is said to be
prepared by direct technique. If it is prepared on a replica of the tooth (die), it is called indirect technique.
IDEAL REQUIREMENTS OF INLAY CASTING WAXES

1. When softened, the wax should be uniform, there should be no graininess or

hard spots in the plastic material.
2. The color should contrast with the die. A definite color contrast helps in identifying and finishing of
margins.
3. The wax should not flake or crumble when the wax is softened.
4. The wax should not chip, flake or tear during carving.
5. During burnout (500°C), it should vaporize completely without residue.
6. The wax pattern should be completely rigid and dimensionally stable at all times until it is eliminated.
7. It should be sufficiently plastic slightly above mouth temperature and become rigid when cooled to
mouth temperature (for class I waxes).
8. The wax should have good flow when heated and set rigidly when cooled
COMPOSITION:
• 40–60% paraffin wax
• 10% gum dammar
• 25% carnauba wax
• 10% ceresin wax
• 5% beeswax
Wax Distortion

Wax distortion is the most serious problem in inlay wax. It is due to release of stresses in the pattern caused
due to:
- Contraction on cooling
- Occluded gas bubbles
- Change of shape of the wax during molding
- From manipulation - carving, pooling, removal, etc.
Thus the amount of residual stress is dependent on:
— The method of forming the pattern
— Its handling and
— Length of time and temperature of storage of the wax pattern.
 OSHA PRECAUTIONS:

• Nonhazardous at room temperature

• If exposed to melted wax, fumes may cause irritation.

• Direct contact with molten material may cause injury. Flush area with cold water.

RPD CASTING WAX

The partial denture casting waxes are quite unlike the inlay casting waxes in appearance and
handling properties. Currently, no ADA or ISO specification have been formulated for these
waxes. However, a US federal specification (UW- 140) has been formulated to cover these
waxes. These specifications are different from those of inlay waxes.

COMPOSITION:
• The composition is the same as inlay waxes but contains reduced amounts of hard waxes
and increased amounts of beeswax.
USES
To make patterns of the metallic framework of removable partial dentures.

SUPPLIED AS

It is available in different forms

 Sheets 0.40 and 0.32 mm thickness
 Readymade shapes
—Round (10 cm), half round and half pear shaped rods
—Reticular, grid or mesh form
—Clasp shapes
—Other forms
 Bulk
BASEPLATE WAX

Most students would be familiar with this wax. it is sometimes referred to as modeling wax.
They are classified under pattern waxes because they are used in the construction of dentures
and appliances made of acrylic and like materials.

USES

These waxes are used for the following:

1. To make occlusion rims .
2. To form the contour of the denture after teeth are set.
3. To make patterns for orthodontic appliances and other prostheses which
are to be constructed of plastics.
COMPOSITION

Paraffin or ceresin 80.0%

Beeswax 12.0%

Carnauba 2.5%

Natural or synthetic resins 3.0%

Microcrystalline 2.5%.
 PROCESSING WAXES

These are those waxes used mainly as accessory aids in the construction of a variety of restorations and
appliances, either clinically or in the laboratory, e.g., boxing wax, beading wax, utility wax and sticky wax.
BOXING WAX AND BEADING WAX

USES

Used to build up vertical walls around the impression, in order to pour the stone and make

a cast. The procedure is known as boxing

ADVANTAGES OF BEADING AND BOXING

1. Preserves the extensions and landmarks.
2. Controls the thickness of the borders.
3. Controls the form and thickness of the base of the cast.
4. Conserves the artificial stone.
 UTILITY WAX

COMPOSITION
Consists mainly of beeswax, petrolatum, and other soft waxes in varying
proportions.

SUPPLIED AS
It is available in the form of sticks and sheets .

USES
It is used to adjust contour of perforated tray for use with hydrocolloids (e.g., to raise flange
height, to extend the tray posteriorly, to raise palatal portion of the tray in cases of deep palate,
etc.). It is pliable and can be easily molded. It is adhesive and can stick to the tray.
 STICKY WAX
COMPOSITION
It consists mainly of yellow beeswax, rosin, and
natural resins such as gum dammar.

USES
Used for joining (assembling) metal parts before
soldering and for joining fragments of broken dentures
before repair procedure. A variety of other uses,
mainly joining, are possible with this wax.
 IMPRESSION WAXES

These are used to record non-undercut edentulous portions of the mouth, and are generally used in
combination with other impression materials such as polysulfide rubber, ZOE, or dental impression
compound, e.g., corrective impression wax, bite registration wax.

CORRECTİVE İMPRESSİON WAX

Waxes were used widely in the past for making dental impressions. Waxes are highly unstable and

susceptible to distortion and are therefore, not particularly suited for impressions. However, they may be

used in certain situations.

USES
It is used as a wax veneer over an original impression to contact and register the details of the soft tissues.
1. To make functional impression of free end saddles (Class I and II removable partial dentures).
2. To record the posterior palatal seal in dentures.
3. Functional impression for obturators.

COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES

They consist of paraffin, ceresin and beeswax. It may also
contain metal particles.
The flow at 37°C is 100%. These waxes are subject to
distortion during removal
from the mouth. They should be poured immediately.
 BITE REGISTRATION WAX

USES
It is used to record the relationship between the upper and lower teeth. This is necessary in order to
mount the casts correctly in the articulator.

COMPOSITION
Beeswax or paraffin or ceresin. Some contain aluminum or copper particles.
Referances