Impression materials: why they still deserve a place in your product selection
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 2nd December 2021
It goes without saying that intraoral scanners have, in many ways, helped to revolutionise the impression-taking process. But as professionals will be aware, every case provides unique challenges. This means that a fully digital approach may not always be the best option and traditional impression materials are still a viable option in a range of clinical scenarios.
But what are some of the clinical situations where traditional impression materials are better suited to the task at hand?
Dr Kunal Shah, principal dentist at Leo Dental explains certain situations where he uses traditional impression materials and why this is the case:
‘I do a lot of dental implant work in my practice and for many cases I use traditional impressions as they definitely offer an advantage. Although digital scanners are very impressive, they can struggle to capture accurate subgingival detail. I find that physical impressions are a better choice for these cases as they flow into the areas that a scanner can’t reach – this helps ensure that these all-important details are as accurate as possible, giving everyone involved in the treatment process the best information possible.
‘Another type of case where I find physical impressions to be the better choice is when taking impressions for retainers or night guards. I mostly use them for retainer work, and this is simply because they are a more affordable option and can still achieve exceptional detail capture. For retainer work, dental laboratories often incorporate the cost of the impression into the price, meaning that if you use a digital scanner this can effectively double what you would pay for the same outcome as there is a surcharge for them to print models. This may not seem like a huge outgoing, but it can quickly add up!
‘Ultimately, there are a number of benefits to physical impression materials that mean they should definitely remain in a modern dentist’s armamentarium. Digital scanners aren’t always as time-saving as people believe, and often you can achieve a similarly accurate result in less time with an impression material. For subgingival detail impression materials are also invaluable – until digital technology can reliably capture this it means that for such cases, physical impressions can’t be beaten.’
3M Oral Care has a diverse portfolio of impression materials available:
3M Impregum Penta Polyether Impression Material
A trusted solution for complex cases and dental implant placement, 3M Impregum Penta Polyether Impression Material is the result of decades of research and remains a solid choice for professionals who want reliable, reproducible results. Ideally suited to veneer impressions, implant impressions, inlay and onlay impressions, crown and bridge impressions and more, the material is a versatile, high-performance product that can be used across a vast spectrum of indications.*
3M Impregum Penta Soft Polyether Impression Material and 3M Impregum Penta Soft Quick Polyether Impression Material
Following the success of the original Impregum, 3M Oral Care developed 3M Impregum Penta Soft Polyether Impression Material. 3M Impregum Penta Soft Polyether Impression Material has a setting time of just 6 minutes, and has been specifically formulated for easier removability and better handling. Furthermore, its pleasant flavour ensures patient comfort, while all of the excellent detail reproduction that is associated with the Impregum name guarantees that 3M Impregum Penta Soft Polyether Impression Material is a solid choice for professionals who want to streamline the impression-taking process.
Looking for a faster setting time? 3M Impregum Penta Soft Quick Polyether Impression Material cuts setting time to just 4 minutes while still delivering enhanced handling and easier removability, making it the perfect solution for smaller cases.
Kunal Shah comments: ‘3M Impregum Penta Soft Quick Polyether Material is my go-to for cases that require exceptional detail reproduction. I love its enhanced handling and removability and the fact that it’s such a reliable choice time and time again.’
3M Impregum Penta Super Quick Polyether Impression Material
The latest addition to the Impregum portfolio, 3M Impregum Penta Super Quick Polyether Impression Material combines the outstanding performance and predictability of a polyether with a lightning-fast setting speed that even exceeds most VPS materials.
Quick and efficient, 3M Impregum Penta Super Quick Polyether Impression Material requires just 45 seconds of working time and only takes two minutes to set, streamlining the impression-taking procedure and reducing patient discomfort. Due to these properties, 3M Impregum Penta Super Quick Polyether Impression Material can help practitioners achieve even faster impressions in simple cases such as single-unit crowns. Superior moisture tolerance displaces saliva and blood from first contact with the tissue, ensuring excellent, void-free detail reproduction that may not be possible to achieve with digital scanners.*
Kunal Shah comments:
‘I use 3M Impregum Penta Super Quick Polyether Impression Material for my smaller cases because it has exceptional handling capabilities and provides greater patient comfort due to its swift setting time and appealing minty flavour.’
3M Imprint 4 VPS Impression Material
This award-winning** impression material has been specially formulated to ensure that you always have enough working time to achieve outstanding results. Innovative chemistry means that the material only starts to set when working time is over, eliminating the potentially stressful race against the clock and giving you better control over the impression-taking process. Advanced hydrophilicity means that the material instantly displaces moisture instantly, aiding accurate detail reproduction even in moist environments.
3M Imprint 4 VPS Impression Material is available in two different setting times, allowing professionals to choose the material that best suits their working style.
To find out more about 3M Oral Care’s portfolio of innovative impression materials, please contact the team today.
After finishing his PhD in Chemistry in 1999 at York University, John worked as a food analyst at the Government research laboratories and an advisor on research funding working closely with the European Commission. John joined 3M Oral Care in 2002 and is currently Scientific Affairs Manager for the 3M Oral Care UK and Ireland region. John lectures widely on advancements in dental materials and regularly writes articles on the same topic for the dental press.
For more information, call 0845 873 4066 or visit www.3m.co.uk/dental
*3M internal data.
** https://www.dentaladvisor.com/awards/
3M, Impregum and Imprint are trademarks of the 3M Company.
