Effect of mixing method on rheological properties of alginate impression materials

The apparent viscosity of alginate impression paste prepared by three mixing methods (hand-mixing technique (HM), semiautomatic instrument (SM) and automatic mixing instrument (AM)), and the gel strength and surface depression of the respective set materials were measured. The materials used were eight commercially available products mixed at a temperature of 23 +/- 0.5 degrees C and allowed to set. The AM had a high mixing speed, which reduced the working time 4.4-31.5%, compared with HM. This was the result of an increase in paste temperature during mixing. In the case of impression materials mixed with the AM, the gel strength and the surface depression at the gel fracture increased significantly, in accordance with Fisher's protected least significant difference (PLSD) analysis. This phenomenon is caused by a decrease of air bubbles in the set material.