Dental Waxes and Abrasives

These flashcards cover the essential vocabulary and concepts related to dental materials and abrasives, including types of waxes, properties, and processes involved.

Wax Distortion

The tendency of a solid wax form to partially return to its original shape when stored at a higher temperature.

Baseplate Wax

Wax used to establish the initial arch in the construction of complete dentures.

Impression Waxes

Oldest recorded wax type used to create impressions in dental applications.

Sticky Wax

Wax used to temporarily fasten components of a gypsum model or a bridge before soldering.

Boxing Wax

Wax used to enclose an impression before plaster or stone is poured.

Carving Wax

Wax used for demonstration purposes or artistic carving.

Gypsum-Bonded Investment Wax

Wax used as a pattern for casting, made of gypsum materials.

Casting Procedure

Steps include tooth preparation, impression, die preparation, wax pattern fabrication, investing, burnout, and cleaning.

Abrasive

A sharp, hard substance used for grinding, finishing, or polishing softer surfaces.

Abrasive Action

The process where a harder material comes into frictional contact with a substrate to remove particles.

Cutting

The use of a bladed instrument to create notches and grooves in a substrate.

Grinding

Removes small particles of a substrate through bonded or coated abrasive instruments.

Polishing

Acts on a thin region of substrate, creating fine scratches that are not visible without magnification.

Desirable Characteristics of an Abrasive

Irregular shape, harder than the surface it abrades, should fracture rather than dull, and possess attrition resistance.

Hardness

A measure of a material’s ability to resist indentation.

Shape

Refers to how sharp, irregularly shaped particles produce deeper abrasions than rounder particles.

Pressure

Increases the depth of the abrasive cut and promotes more rapid removal of material, potentially raising substrate temperature.

Speed

Refers to how faster cutting rates can lead to increased temperature and potential overcutting.

Lubrication

Minimizes heat buildup and facilitates debris removal, with water being the most common lubricant.

Abrasive Grits

Particles derived from crushed materials, classified as coarse, medium, fine, etc.

Bonded Abrasives

Abrasive particles incorporated through a binder to form grinding tools.

Truing

A procedure to ensure an abrasive instrument rotates without eccentricity when placed on a substrate.

Dressing

A process similar to truing used to shape the abrasive instrument.

Elastic Memory

Ability of wax to return to its original shape after deformation.

Bite Wax

A type of impression wax used to record the occlusion.

Corrective Waxes

Waxes that correct and make adjustments during the impression process.

Sintering

One of four bonding methods for abrasive particles.

Vitreous Bonding

A bonding method using glass-like materials to hold abrasives.