Dental impressions, how to avoid rejection (and make the dentist’s life easier)

A dental impression is a precious tool which allows dentists and dental technicians to have a detailed representation of the patient’s oral cavity, for diagnostic purposes or to make more accurate prosthodontics or orthodontic products.

The procedure used to obtain an accurate dental impression is rather a delicate one. One the one hand, the dentist needs materials designed to offer superior quality standards to accommodate his/her preferences, technique and the requirements of each specific case; on the other, the need to appease the patient’s worries and his/her need for comfort during treatment, especially for those suffering from Emetophobia, a phobia that causes overwhelming, intense anxiety pertaining to vomiting and the sense of nausea caused by the presence of “chemical” aromas and foreign bodies in one’s oral cavity.

The problem is quite common but certainly not insurmountable. Indeed, it is the materials used for dental impression that make the difference in these situations, both for preliminary impressions as well as high precision ones, in synergy with modern automatic and mechanical mixing equipment.

The best alginates used in the production of impressions guarantee:

• the dentist a high thixotropy (in other words the ability to vary their aeriformity when stressed by the impression taking), superior precision in detail reproduction, simple use and an appropriate setting time (which in the case of alginates must be very short);
• the patient does not suffer from emetophobia and limits the feeling of discomfort, thanks to the pleasant taste that helps overcome any fears and feelings of gagging or suffocating. The pleasant aroma is particularly recommended for younger patients, since it reduces the stress of impression taking and leaves an enjoyable feeling of freshness in the mouth.

Zhermack, a leading international company offering cutting-edge materials and solutions for the dental industry, has developed specific alginates which, owing to their original formula and even texture, are easily mixed and guarantee the dentist outstanding standards of dimensional stability and elasticity, making impression taking easier, while also enhancing the end result in terms of performance and accuracy of details, in addition to greater resistance to tearing.

In addition to the superior precision and easy control, these solutions make it possible to have more time to cast the model after the impression taking process. Specifically, certain particular alginates make it possible to cast the impression within 5 days instead of 2, and to obtain incredibly reliable and accurate models, making the dentist or dental technician’s life a little easier.