Disinfection of dental stone casts: antimicrobial effects and physical property alterations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of disinfecting solutions incorporated into dental stone casts against a standard and representative group of microorganisms and to note changes in the physical properties of the casts.

Irreversible hydrocolloid impressions were contaminated individually with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Actinobacter calcoaceticus, Bacillus subtilis, Mycobacterium phlei and Candida albicans. Four readily available disinfecting solutions (glutaraldehyde, povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine and sodium hypochlorite) were added to the die stone mix used to pour up the impressions. The set cast surfaces were swabbed at 1 h and 24 h, the samples plated on agar and incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 h and 3 d for M. phlei. Subsequently, colony forming units were counted. The physical properties assessed were setting time, setting expansion, compressive strength, detail reproduction and delayed expansion of the stone.

Only glutaraldehyde and povidone-iodine killed all contaminating microorganisms within 1 h, while the 1:5 dilution of sodium hypochlorite solution was equally effective after 24 h. Two percent glutaraldehyde was the most effective disinfectant with the least adverse effects on the physical properties of the set cast. Although povidone-iodine caused a decrease in the compressive strength of the set cast, it can be considered to be a sound alternative.

This study supports the concept of incorporating disinfectants into model stone as a standard operating procedure for impressions of unknown history and, most sensibly, all dental impressions.