Effect of mixing technique on surface characteristics of impression materials

Previous studies have shown a relationship between the disinfection process, wettability, and mass change of impression materials. Hand-mixed high viscosity impression materials usually result in a material with numerous voids, which contribute to surface roughness and affect the surface characteristics of the material.

This study evaluated the effect of mixing technique on advancing contact angle, receding contact angle, imbibition, and mass loss of various high and low viscosity polyether and polyvinyl siloxane materials. The null hypothesis tested was no differences exist between the different mixing systems.

The Wilhelmy technique was used for deriving wetting properties of the materials used (Impregum F and Penta, Permadyne Syringe, Garant and Penta, Dimension Penta and Garant L, Aquasil). Conditions included no disinfection (0 hours) and 1, 5, and 18 hours of immersion disinfection in a full-strength solution of 2% acid glutaraldehyde disinfectant (Banicide). Weight changes before and after disinfection were measured to detect weight loss or mass increase over time. Weight loss in air was also measured to detect mass loss. Data were analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance at alpha = 0.05.

All materials displayed some degree of imbibition of the disinfectant and experienced mass loss with polymerization, except the light viscosity polyvinyl that gained 0.18% at 5 hours. No significant differences were found in wettability among the polyether materials after 1 hour of disinfection. Less imbibition was observed for high viscosity mechanically mixed materials compared with the hand-mixed materials for both polyether and polyvinyl siloxane at 1-hour disinfection time.

Polyether materials were more wettable than polyvinyl. Imbibition of high viscosity polyether and polyvinyl materials after 1 and 18 hours of disinfection were affected by the mixing system used.