Clinical significance of surface activation of silicone impression materials

Surface activation of silicone impression materials enhances impression accuracy as well as the quality of stone casts. This study examined the relation between impression quality and the hydrophilicity of silicone impression materials used in a two-stage putty and wash technique.

The study included 14 silicone impression materials with and without surface activation. The contact angles of the light body materials were measured using deionised water. Free surface energies were calculated. A total of 140 impressions of wet intact permanent molar teeth were examined for definition of the gingival sulcus reproduction and then classified in a quality ranking. The percentage of the sulcus reproduction ability of each material was calculated from the sulcus depths of cross-sectioned resin casts from the impressions and clinically measured sulcus depths.

Free surface energies (mJ/m2) of hydrophobic materials (contact angle > 90 degrees) ranged from 16.8 to 26.8 mJ/m2. Surface activated materials (contact angle < 90 degrees) exhibited free surface energies from 38.1 to 55.7 mJ/m2. Not all materials described as surface activated showed hydrophilic properties. Medians of impression quality ranking ranged from 1.75 (best) to 13.25 (worst), mean sulcus reproduction ranged from 30 to 52%. Significant differences (P < 0.05) in quality ranking and sulcus reproduction were found between certain materials but correlations were found neither between sulcus reproduction and free surface energy nor between quality ranking and free surface energy.

For clinical impression recording, surface activation seems to be of minor relevance, at least in the two-stage putty and wash technique investigated and is superimposed by other material properties.