A study of bubbles in a rubber elastomer manipulated under clinical conditions

One hundred addition reaction silicone impressions were made by students and faculty members using two types of syringes with two syringe tip sizes. A count of the bubbles in the impressions revealed a total of 439 with only one impression completely free of bubbles in either the posterior or anterior test regions. Faculty members, presumably more experienced, confirmed the last out-fewer bubbles hypothesis developed in a previous laboratory investigation, but some students did not. A pneumatically activated syringe produced no fewer bubbles than did the conventional hand-powered syringe but most of the students and faculty members thought it was advantageous. Half believed that more practice with it would be beneficial. We recommend that practicing dentists try to minimize bubbles by extruding the first part of the syringe contents onto the mixing pad or in a distant intraoral location before injecting around the critical tooth preparations.