PREPARATION OF THE CASTS

INTRODUCTION
Complete denture is defined as A dental prosthesis
which replaces the entire dentition and associated
structures of the maxilla and mandible.-GPT
Generally complete dentures are fabricated for
geriatric patients. Some young patients who are
born with congenitally malformed teeth or
edentulous arches require complete dentures.
A complete denture functions to restore esthetics,
mastication and speech.
Fabrication of the complete denture involves
various procedures of which a few are explained
here.
DEFINITION

CAST: A positive life size reproduction of a part or parts

of the oral cavity.

PRILIMINARY CAST:
A cast formed from a preliminary impression for use in
diagnosis of the fabrication of a impression tray.
DEFINITIVE CAST/ MASTER CAST:
A replica of the tooth surfaces, residual ridge areas
and /or other parts of the dental arch and /or facial
structures used to fabricate a dental restoration or
prosthesis.
 PRIMARYCAST / DIAGNOSTIC CAST
The cast should be poured
within 15 min after impression
making.

The impression is placed and

stabilized over a piece of
cotton so that the ridge
appears parallel to the table.

Impressions are usually poured

in three pours.
 The base should have
a minimum thickness
of 10mm at its thinnest
portion.

The cast should be

separated from the
impression about an
hour after the initial
set, trimmed and
finished.
 Master casts/ secondary
casts
PREPARATION OF THE MASTER CAST.
After making the secondary
impression, the cast is poured and
this cast obtained is called as the
secondary casts or the master cast.
The master cast is poured using the

dental stone. The master cast should

accurately reproduce the anatomy of
the residual ridge. Hence, care
should be taken to preserve the
depth and with of the sulcus in a
cast. The sulcus can be preserved by
beading and boxing.
 BEADING AND BOXING:
Beading is done to preserve the
width and height of the sulcus in
a cast. Boxing is done to obtain a
uniform, smooth, well-shaped
base for the cast.
Special utility waxes are the most
commonly used material for
beading and boxing. Dental
plaster with pumice. caulking
compound and paddle boxing are
the other alternatives.
The technique for beading and
boxing is different for each
material.
 PROCEDURE
The impression should be stabilized
using soft wax or modeling clay to
make the impression surface parallel
to the floor.
For a mandibular impression, the
tongue space should be covered
with a sheet of wax. The wax sheet
is cut to a U shape pattern that will
approximate to the tongue space.
The wax sheet should be fused
accurately to avoid leakage of
dental stone while pouring the
impression.
 The beading wax is adapted 3-4mm
below the height of contour of the
impression flanges. The beading should
be at least 4mm wide. Width of the
beading wax should be even all around
the impression.

Improperly- shaped or placed beading

can lead to the formation of thin, high
borders in the cast. Additional thickness
should be added to the posterior
regions of the mandibular impressions.
 Dental stone is poured into the
boxed impression using the three-
pour technique.

The cast is easily separated by

peeling of the wax. Overextended
borders if the impression should
be trimmed to an appropriate
level.
 PLASTER AND PUMICE
BOXING
It is indicated for rubber base impression
as they do not adhere to wax. The
impression is invested before boxing. The
investment functions as the beading. A
mixture of pumice and plaster is used as
the investing medium.

PROCEDURE:
A 1:1 mixture of plaster and pumice
paste is place on a glass slab.

The impression with the tray is invested

on the plaster pumice mix.

The investing medium is contoured 3-

4mm below the border of the impression.
 The investing medium should be
carefully trimmed to the shape of
the cast.
A separating medium is applied all
over the plaster pumice mix.
Boxing wax is adapted around the
plaster pumice investment.
A fine mix of dental stone is poured
into the boxed impression.
The impression is separated an
hour later. It should be smoothened
and finished as required.
 Caulking Compound And
Paddle Boxing Method.
This method is best suited for zinc oxide eugenol
impressions. Beading is done using caulking compound
and boxing is done using a metal strip. The boxed
impression is attached/ supported with a table tennis
paddle while pouring the cast.
PROCEDURE:
Caulking compound is adapted as a
beading 3-4m below the height of
contour of the impression flange.
Additional material can be added to
increase the thickness of the
caulking compound. After
adaptation the compound is fused
to the impression.
Metal strip is boxed around the caulking compound. At
this
stage it resembles wax boxing technique .
 A table tennis racket is modified
by attaching a metal rim at its
borders so that it can hold wax.

Scrap wax is melted and poured

into the paddle.

Once the scrap wax cools, the

boxed impression can be poured
with dental stone using the three-
pour technique
Continue adding the stone until the boxed
impression is full.

Allow the poured impression to set before separating

the cast. Then the cast is trimmed and finished.
 Indexing the master
cast.
It should be done to accurately remount the
cast in an articulator in a proper position.
Commonly used methods for indexing
include grooving, notching using metal and
plastic remounting plates.
Remounting is done:
To accurately reproduce the relationships of
the casts at rest and function.
To verify jaw relation records using split cast
method.
To correct the processing errors and refine
occlusion after curing the denture.
 Groove indexing method
In this method, v- shaped grooves are
made on the cast for indexing.

The advantages of this method

include, the functionality of the index
even after the cast is trimmed and the
ability to modify/relocate the grooves
to avoid weakening certain casts.

In case of mandibular casts, the lines

should be marked on the base under
the areas of the ridges.
 Notch-indexing Method
In this method, notches are placed at the edges of
the cast.

The disadvantages of this method is that the

indexing is easily lost during trimming.

This method is indicated for casts with deep sulci

where grooves cannot be placed.
 REFERENCES
1) Dental Laboratory Procedures- ROBERT
M.MORROW

2) Prosthodontic Treatment For Edentulous Patients-

GEORGE A.ZARB, CHARLES
L.BOLEMDER

3) Syllabus Of Complete Dentures-

CHARLES M.HEARTWELL

4) Principles And Practices Of Complete Dentures-

IWAO HAYAKAWA.