[Kinetic study of the liquid uptake of retraction cords]

The soaking time ensured for the liquid uptake of retraction cords is a crucial factor in the successful gingival retraction procedure. The aim of the present investigations was to determine the optimal soaking time for three cords of different thickness. The capability of liquid uptake of the cords was measured by a gravimetric method using four different sulcus retraction solutions. In addition to the time of soaking, the saturation of the cords with the solutions largely depended on the wetting properties and the pore structure of the cords as well. Our results indicate that 20 minutes soaking time is necessary for saturation before using in the clinical application of the cords. This conclusion applies for conditions when air bubbles are manually removed before soaking.