An impression is taken of prepared teeth using light body impression material to capture detail, followed by heavy body material placed in a tray and seated over the light body to provide stability. A cord may be used to displace soft tissue for better impression material flow. The impression captures the prepared tooth shape and margins and is sent to the lab to construct a temporary bridge until the permanent one is ready. Some practices now use digital impressions to replace traditional impression materials.

1. Crown And Bridge Impression

2. Teeth are prepared for
bridge
Notice the shape of the preps. Room
must be left to accommodate the
restoration.

3. Hemostatic solution
is utilize to control
bleeding
Cords are soaked in the solution
before placement. Some cords are
already impregnated with hemostatic
solution eliminating this step.
Plain
Braided

4. Cord is “packed” inserted
into the sulcus of the
prepared teeth
The cord displaces the gingiva for the
light body impression material can
easily flow into the sulcus. The cord
comes in diameter sizes 000 thru 3.
Sometimes 2 cords are need in this
step.

5. The final impression is taken
by the dentist.
In this example a triple tray is
used
Intraoral and mixing tip
Light body cartridge
and mixing gun
Heavy body Putty
Triple tray with tray
adhesive

6. If a triple tray is not used, three separate
procedures must be performed:
• Take an impression of the prepared teeth
• Take an impression of the opposing arch
• Take a bite registration

7. Light body impression
material applied to the
prepared to teeth to
capture detail.
This material is less viscous and “wets
the surfaces of the preps better.

8. Heavy body material is
placed in the tray and
then placed over the light
body material to form the
impression
The heavy material provides stability
to the impression for better accuracy.

9. The patient bites into the
impression material until set.
Approx. 4-5 min.
Notice the impression material did not cover
the dentition on the Mx arch. This
impression may have to be retaken or and
additional impression of the opposing arch
will be needed.

10. Both the light and heavy
body material come
together to form a unified
impression
Notice the sharp detail of the margin in
this impression vs. the impression below.
If the detail is not
accurate the impression
may be reused to
capture the detail. This
is know as a “Wash”
After disinfection, the
impression is sent to the lab

11. A temporary is made
of acrylic or resin
material
Crowns can be made of
acrylic, resin or preformed
shells

12. Removing cement
Popular temporary cement
Temporary bridge
cemented into place until
“permanent” bridge is
completed in the lab to
maintain occlusion

13. Bridge on a laboratory cast

14. Digital impressions replacing
impression materials