Dental waxes.pptx

DENTAL WAXES
DR. NAVEENA R
FIRST-YEAR POSTGRADUATE
DEPARTMENT OF PROSTHODONTICS

INTRODUCTION
Dentistry has evolved by leaps and bounds over the last century. Numerous materials are
used in dentistry for a wide number of clinical and laboratory procedures. Waxes are used in
dentistry for many clinical and laboratory procedures

INTRODUCTION
Definition (GPT-9)
One of several esters of fatty acids with higher alcohols, usually monohydric alcohols;
dental waxes are combinations of various types of waxes compounded to provide
desired physical properties (GPT-9)

• Dental waxes may be composed of natural and synthetic waxes, gums, fats, fatty acids, oils, natural and
synthetic resins, and pigments.
• The particular working characteristics of each wax are achieved by blending the appropriate natural and
synthetic waxes, resins, and other additives.
• Natural waxes are more commonly found in plants and animals
• Other wax components are found in minerals and petrolatum products and distillates
Kenneth j. Anusavice; Phillips Science of dental material.Eleventh edition, Elsevier,200

HISTORY
• The oldest wax used by people is the beeswax.
• Wax models used in connection with prosthetic work were first mentioned by
Matthaeus Gottfried
• The first inlay in dentistry is credited to “John Murphy” of London, who was
fabricating porcelain inlay in 1855.
• The first cast inlay is attributed to “Philbrook”-1897
• “Taggart” in 1907 introduced the lost wax technique.

IDEAL PROPERTIES
 Should be tough and rigid at room temperature but not brittle
 Should have a low softening temperature
 Should flow easily
 Should be dimensionally stable
 Should have a melting point well below the boiling point of water
 Should have pleasant color and poses a color contrast to help during carving

STRUCTURE
The two main principal groups of organic compounds are hydrocarbons and esters
though some contain alcohols and acids as well. Most mineral waxes have
hydrocarbons as their chief constituents ranging from 17 to over 44 carbon atoms
R.G. Craig, J.D. EickandF.A. Peyton, Properties of natural Waxes Used in dentistry JDENT

CLASSIFICATION
Based
on
source
Natural
waxes
Mineral wax
Paraffin wax, microcrystalline, ozokerite,
Barnsdhal, ceresin, montan
Plant wax
Carnauba
candelila
Insect wax
Bees wax
Animal wax
Spermaceti
Synthetic
waxes
Acrawax
Aerosol – OT
Castor wax
Flexowax
Epolene
Durawax
O'Brien, W.J., Dental materials and their selection. 2002.

Additives
• Stearic acid
• Glyceryl-tristearate
Oils
• Turpentine
• Colorants
Natural resins
• Rosin
• Copal
• Dammar
• Shellac Synthetic resins
• Polystyrene

PARAFFIN WAX
• Source: high boiling fractions of petroleum.
• Type: straight-chain hydrocarbon with 26-30 carbon atoms.
• Melting range:40-71 degrees.
• White, transparent, doesn’t have shine or glossiness
• Increasing molecular weight increases melting point
• In dentistry used as refined waxes & have less than 0.5% of oil.

MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX
• Source: also obtained from heavier oil fractions in
the petroleum industry.
• higher melting range:60-91 degrees.
• Type :branched-chain hydrocarbon.
• Tougher & more flexible than paraffin.
• less volumetric change -paraffin.
• Hardness and tackiness can be altered by the
addition of oils.

CARNAUBA WAXES
• Straight chain esters, alcohols, acids, and
hydrocarbons.
• High • Hardness • Brittleness • Melting
temperatures
• They improve the melting range and hardness of
paraffin wax ; – raise solid-solid transition
temperature.
• Melting range
• Carnauba: 84-91 C
• Ouricury:79-84 C

CANDELILLA WAX
• Melting range : 68-75 C.
• Like carnauba they harden the paraffin wax but are
not effective for increasing the melting range.

BEES WAX
• Insect wax.
• Is a complex mixture of esters.
• Melting temperature of 63-70 C.
• Brittle at room temperature but becomes plastic at
body temperature.
• Modifies properties of paraffin wax – Main
component of sticky wax.

SPERMACETI WAX
• Obtained from sperms of a whale.
• Mainly an ester wax.
• Used as a coating in the manufacture of dental floss

SYNTHETIC WAXES
• Are complex organic compounds of varied chemical composition.
• Differ from natural wax as they have a high degree of refinement in contrast
to contamination seen in natural waxes.
• Include
– Polyethylene waxes
– Polyoxyethylene glycol waxes
– Halogenated hydrocarbon waxes
– Hydrogenated waxes

FATS
 Chemically fats are composed of esters of various fatty acids with glycerol and are
known as glycerides which distinguishes them from waxes
 hydrocarbon oils may be used to soften the mixtures of waxes and small quantities
of silicone oils may be added to improve the ease of polishing the waxes
RESINS
 Trees and other plants produce exudates of natural resins such as dammar, rosin, or
sandarac.
 Natural resins are compatible with most waxes and when mixed will produce harder
waxes.
 Synthetic resins are added to paraffin waxes to improve their toughness, melting
range, and film-forming characteristics

CLASSIFICATION
Based on
application Pattern wax
Inlay wax
Casting wax
Base plate wax
Processing
wax
Boxing wax
Utility wax
Sticky wax
Impression
wax
Corrective wax
Bite plate wax
O'Brien, W.J., Dental materials and their selection. 2002.

PATTERN WAXES
• Used to form the general predetermined size and contour of artificial dental
restoration, which is to be constructed of more durable material.
• Types
• Inlay waxes
• Casting waxes
• Base plate waxes

INLAY PATTERN WAXES
• Used to prepare wax patterns of inlays, crowns, and bridges for the lost
wax casting technique
• Classification: ADA Sp. No.4
 Type I (medium) direct technique.
 Type II (soft) indirect technique
• Available as 7.5 cm long, 3mm diameter sticks. Also supplied in the
form of small pellets and cones
• Kenneth j. Anusavice; Phillips Science of dental material.Eleventh edition, Elsevier,2004.

COMPOSITION
Ingredients Weight % functions
Paraffin wax 60%
Used to establish melting
point
Carnauba wax 20%
Increases melting range,
decreases flow at mouth
temperature
Ceresin wax 5%
Improve carving
characteristics & modify
the toughness
Beeswax 5%
Reduces flow at mouth
temperature & reduces
its brittleness
Gum dammar 3%
Improve surface
smoothness, resistance to
flakiness
Synthetic resins 2%
Gives stable flow
properties to the wax

Desirable properties:
1. when softened, uniform.
2. Color should contrast.
3. No flakiness/ rough surface.
4. Complete burnout.
5. Rigid, dimensionally stable.
Flow:
Flow of wax is a measure of its potential to deform
under a small static load, even that associated with its
own mass
• flows at room temp.
• type I – 1% at 37°C
• type I & II- 70-90% at 45°C
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
It is low, sufficient time is required to heat them uniformly throughout & to cool them to the
body or room temperature

COEFFICIENT OF THERMAL EXPANSION
 Inlay waxes have a high coefficient of thermal expansion
 Linear expansion of 0.7% with an increase in temperature of 20 deg C &
contract as much as 0.35% when cooled from 37 ͦC to 25 ͦC
 ADA Specification No.4 contains no requirements for thermal expansion for
type 2 waxes. A maximum of 0.6% linear change in dimension is permitted
for type 1 waxes when they are heated from 25 ͦC to 37 ͦC

WAX DISTORTION
Results from thermal changes & release of stresses that arise from:
 Non-uniform contraction on cooling if the wax is not held under
uniform pressure
 Occluded gas bubbles
 Non-uniform heating during insertion in the cavity: some parts of
wax pattern may contract more than others when stresses are
introduced
 Change of shape during molding, carving & removal
METHODS TO MINIMIZE WAX DISTORTION
 proper selection of waxes
 Soften the wax uniformly
 Place the softened & molten increments quickly to bound with the earlier
increment
 Invest the pattern immediately after removal from cavity.

MANIPULATION
• DIRECT TECHNIQUE – TYPE 1 WAX
Wax is softened with dry heat over
a flame
It should be twirled until it
becomes shiny
Kneaded together & shaped to the
prepared cavity
Hold under pressure until it sets
either with finger or by the patient
biting on the wax
Allow it cool gradually at mouth
temperature and invests the pattern
as early as possible

INDIRECT TECHNIQUE – TYPE 2 WAX
Impression of prepared cavity is
made with a rubber base
impression material & die is made
Die is coated with luting agent
Melted wax is added in layers with
spatula or it may be painted on with
a brush
Prepared cavity is overfilled and
wax is then carved to proper
contour
Wax pattern is removed and
invested as early as possible

CASTING WAX
• The pattern for the metallic framework of removable partial dentures are fabricated
from casting waxes
• Available as sheets in thickness of
 28 gauge-pink color (0.40mm)
 30 gauge-green color (0.32mm)
• Ready-made shapes range from
 round
 Half-round
 Half pear-shaped rods
 reticular, grid, or mesh form
 Clasp shapes
COMPOSITION
Similar to inlay wax with variable
composition of paraffin, ceresin,
beeswax, rosin and other waxes.
J Prosthet Dent 1997;77:553-5

Smooth casting wax
• It is supplied in thicknesses ranging from 0.25 -0.80mm. It is very pliable and
provides excellent transparency to the model surface
• It is used to vary thickness in combination with stippled surfaces or when the
clinical indication so requires
Stippled wax
• It is supplied in three different types, fine, medium, and coarse.
• Stippling makes it easier to fixate food and weakens the extent to which the
tongue senses foreign matter.
• Available in thicknesses ranging from 0.35 -0.60mm
Continuous clasp : 17cm, 1.2mm×2.1mm
Beading wire : 17cm, 0.8 mm×1.1mm
Casting strip: 17cm, 2mm×4.5mm
(J Prosthet Dent 1997;77:553-5

Wax retention holes
• Excellent retention results can be achieved in both mandibular
and maxillary modelling
Wax edge stripes
• It greatly reduces the modelling time for bases of partial maxillary dentures.
• The prefabricated shapes can be easily adapted to individual requirements.
Clasp profiles
• It is designed to ensure good hold and stability for dentures.
• Half teardrop-shaped cross-sections are effective at preventing
food residues from getting stuck.
• All clasp profiles have an optimal anatomical shape.
• Adhesion to the investment material model is optimal

Grid retention with holes
• The complexity of wax-up is reduced, thus saving time and
the partial denture prosthesis acquires optimal stability and wearing comfort.
• The grid retention holes can also be integrated very well as
reinforcing grids in total maxillary dentures made of acrylics.
Pontics
• The wax-up time for bridges is considerably shortened.
• They are uniformly reduced wax form and anatomical design
provides ideal conditions for ceramic bonding that is reliable and durable
• Interdental tapering provides great support for perfect ceramic veneering
• There is sufficient occlusal space for functional anatomical shaping
of chewing surfaces
Wax wires for sprues
• Wax wires on rolls are available as medium-hard wax in the
color green, with diameters ranging from 2.5 to 5mm in 0.5mm increments
• When worked carefully unwanted restoring forces during modelling will rarely occur;
• it is designed for high internal stability while at the same time ensuring good
shaping characteristics.

Wax manifests recovery (memory)
 This phenomenon is commonly observed in wax sheets and shapes is a process by which the wax attempts to
return to its original molded shape and the adapted wax pattern attempts to straighten out as it is cooled to
room temperature.
 Palatal plate connector may have a tendency to straighten out and lift off the cast in the center of the palate.
When the center of the pattern in the palate pulls up, it may be necessary to readapt that portion
 Clasp shapes have a tendency to straighten out and the tips of the clasps lift away from the cast.
When that occurs they must be readapted and sealed to the cast with adhesive or a small amount of wax.
It was recommended that patterns be invested immediately after their completion (no longer than
30 minutes) or kept in a refrigerator and brought to room temperature before investing.

MILLING WAX
• Milling wax has an optimized composition for processing with
milling tools.
• Wax up surfaces are made very smooth, with sharp contours
• Due to ideal hardness, millings cannot stick to the wax-up and do
not smear in the recommended speed range of 500 -5000 rpm
• Setting temp approx. 62 C
DIAGNOSTIC WAX
• Diagnostic wax -formulated for planning and creating
esthetic lifelike presentations.( diagnostic wax-up)
• It can be easily carved, has excellent stability, low
shrinkage and burns out clean.

Base plate wax
• It derives its name from its use on the baseplate tray in the
technique for denture construction.
• ADA Sp.No-24 divides into three types
1. Type 1-Soft-building veneers
2. Type II- Medium- Pattern tried in the mouth in temperate
climatic conditions
3. Type III- Hard- Trial fitting in tropical climates

Composition
1. ceresin 80%
2. Beeswax 12%
3. carnauba 2.5%
4. natural or synthetic resins 3%
5. microcrystalline or synthetic wax 2.5%
Practical requirements
1. No irritation of oral tissue.
2. Softened sheets should cohere readily without becoming flaky
or adhering to fingers.
3. Smooth surface after gentle flaming.
4. Trim easily with a sharp instrument at 23 C.
5. No residue on porcelain or plastic teeth
Uses
• Occlusal rims
• Wax-up
• Patterns for prosthesis
• Articulating relations

Wax rim (Bite rim)
It is a type of pattern wax.
• The softening temp. is above the mouth temp.
• It is tough & resists fracture during removal from the cast.
• It is used for :
1. Restoring the occlusal relationship
2. Arrangement of teeth.

Shellac denture base
• Wax-like resin stable at mouth temp.
• It has high softening temperature than other waxes.
• It is used as a temporary denture

PROCESSING WAXES
• Used primarily as auxiliary aids in the construction of a variety of restorations and appliances either
clinically or in the laboratory
• They include,
• Boxing wax
• Utility wax
• Sticky wax
• Carding wax
• Blockout wax

Beading & Boxing wax
• Use to form a plaster or stone cast from an impression of the edentulous arch.
• Consists of adapting a long narrow stick or strip of wax around the impression 3mm below its peripheral height
• Followed by a wide strip of wax producing a form the around entire impression. Should extend atleast 10mm above
the highest point on the impression
• Should have slight tackiness which allows them to be attached to each other or to stone models or impression trays
• Can be easily melted to seal them to the impression surface.
• Composition: – Beeswax. Paraffin, soft waxes Beading Boxing

Utility wax
• Easily workable, adhesive wax, used to adjust the contour
of perforated impression trays.
• Temporarily attaching a pontic of a bridge
• Composition – Beeswax, petrolatum, other soft waxes.
• Available as stick or sheet form-dark red or orange.
• Ductility & flow highest. At 37 deg C min-65% max- 80%
• Sufficient adhesive at 21-24 deg C

Sticky wax
• It is sticky when melted and adheres closely to the surface on
which it is applied.
• It is firm, free from tackiness, and brittle at room temp.
• It will break rather than become distorted
• To join and temporarily stabilize the components of the
bridge before soldering, broken denture before repair
• Composition –yellow beeswax, Rosin, low and high melting
resins, coloring matter, gum

Block out wax
• Used for filling the undercut area on the cast during
the processing of the Cr-Co framework.
• Hard and enables sharp contours to be reproduced
on the duplicate model for clasp profile
• It is easy to remove from the master cast
Carding Wax
• Dental literature occasionally refers to carding wax
for use in some soldering technique.
• But it is the material on which porcelain or acrylic
teeth were fixed when received from the
manufacturer.

IMPRESSION WAX
• Use of wax is limited to non-undercut edentulous portion of the mouth
• Bite registration waxes
• Corrective waxes
• Low fusing impression wax:
• when subjected to controlled pressure it will flow to some extent in the mouth
• It is often used in relining or rebasing complete and partial dentures
• Because it is easily distorted, impressions must be handled with care

Corrective Impression wax
• Used as a wax veneer over an original impression to
register the detail of the soft tissue.
• Formulated from hydrocarbon waxes such as paraffin,
ceresin & beeswax.
• The flow at 37 C is 100 %.
• Records mucosa in a functional state.
• Functional impressions for distal extension partial
dentures, and obturators.
• Used to record posterior palatal seal area
• Iowa Wax (Dr.Earl. E. Smith)-White
• H-L physiologic paste (Dr.C.S.Harkins)-yellow white
• Adaptol (Dr.NathanG Kaye)-.Green
• KorrectaWax No 4. (Dr O.C.Applegate)-Orange

• FLUID WAX TECHNIQUE is used after taking a wash impression.
• At first, marking of the anterior and posterior vibrating line is done inside the patient’s oral cavity with the aid
of an indelible pencil, which is then transferred to the wash impression.
• Fluid wax is coated in an additional amount in the boundaries of the palatal seal and the head of the patient
is positioned 30° inferior to the F-H plane.
• With this, the soft palate is positioned at its most downward and forward position, and aspiration of
impression material and saliva is avoided.
Khalaf Al-Rawi, Salah & Salah, Kh & Al-Rawi,. (2021). Posterior Palatal Seal Area. 10.13140/RG.2.2.35734.47689.

• Position the patient's tongue against lower anteriors as it aids in the anterior
pulling of the palatoglossus.
• Place the custom tray inside the patient's mouth and ask him to rotate the head
periodically to achieve soft palate functional movements without varying the
plane
.
• Afterward, the tray is removed in 4–6 min.
• Regions having tissue approximation appear glossy and other remains dull, in
which wax is added again and repeat the process.
Khalaf Al-Rawi, Salah & Salah, Kh & Al-Rawi,. (2021). Posterior Palatal Seal Area. 10.13140/RG.2.2.35734.47689.

ADVANTAGES
• It is a physiologic method displacing
the tissues within their acceptable
limits
• Overcompression is avoided
• Corrective material for imperfections
in other impressions
• Flow enough to prevent over
displacement
DISADVANTAGES
• More time is necessary during
impression appointment
• Difficulty in handling materials
• Added care has to be taken during
boxing
• Material not easily available
• Special armamentarium required for
using this material

Bite registration wax
• Used to accurately articulate certain models of opposing
quadrants.
• Formulated from beeswax or hydrocarbon waxes such as paraffin
or ceresin and contain alumina or copper particle.
• 28 gauge wax sheets.
• Flow :2.5-22% at 37Deg - susceptible for distortion on removal
AluWax-used is to verify jaw relation records.
Contains Aluminum and Cuprex chloride
ALUWAX

KORRECTA WAX
Soft NO. 4 -(Orange) -to secure a completely adopted
impression under natural masticatory pressure. It leaves the
finished surface and registers fine tissue details.
Soft NO. 3 -(Red) is for minor tray corrections and as an
initial lining to stabilize the tray.
Hard NO. 2 -(Yellow) is used in rebasing as a hard
foundation for Korecta-Waxes No 3 and 4 when extensive
absorption necessitates a bulk of the material. Also used to
restore occlusion in partial dentures.
Extra Hard No. 1 -(Pink) is a reinforcing material used only
on the external surface to support wax extensions beyond
tray margins

DISCLOSING WAX
• Disclosing wax is used to determine unequal pressure points in a denture that may cause
discomfort to the patient.
• These points are located by painting the wax on the tissue side of the denture base and holding the
denture in place under pressure in the mouth.
• The wax flows away from the points needing relief
• Disclosing wax is sometimes known as pressure indicator paste

LASER-WAX
 Laser reading for the CAD/CAM technique
 Advantages:
• laser readable
• appropriate for all laser scanning systems
• Modelling capacity like S-U ESTHETIC WAX
• Pleasant color
• Can be milled
• Extremely opaque
This wax allows the wax-up and scan without using metallic powder spray. It also builds
up fast and is designed to be stable and carvable
European Journal of Dentistry, Volume 12 / Issue 1 / January-March 2018

OPTICAL SCANNABLE WAX
• This wax comes in two types, one for the build-up and the other for blocking out laser
and optical scannable wax
• This new technologically advanced formula is made to accommodate all CAD/CAM and
other scanning systems because it has the ability to disperse and block both laser and
optical rays for complete and accurate reading with the elimination of metallic powder
sprays.
• It is very stable, builds up fast and has smooth carve ability.
• This wax is created to be used in impression to expose the prepared margin for cases that
require scanning and removal of tissue for better margin exposure.
• Reduces the time spent on grinding the stone.
• This wax is easy to use and will stick to most impression materials
• After pouring the model, it is easy to remove it from the stone so your margins are
exposed to scan
MARGIN EXPOSING SCANNABLE WAX
European Journal of Dentistry, Volume 12 / Issue 1 / January-March 2018

SCANNABLE BITE REGISTRATION STRAP
• This is the latest generation in the family of HI-TECH scannable waxes;
• It is designed to allow CAD/CAM systems through 3-D scanning technology to record occlusal morphology and
determine vertical dimension
• This wax designed to use with pre- articulated models
USING DIRECTIONS
 WARM: to enhance malleability, warm the area of wax strip with warm water until malleable
 BITE: take the bite registration from an articulated model.
 CUT: use scissors or cutting knife to trime the warmed wax; let it cool
 SCAN: remove the cooled wax and scan
IMPLANT WAX
• Milling wax
• It is an excellent combination of a milling and sculpturing wax
• It is dimensionally very stable, strong yet carvable
• When milling, the wax does not stick to the wax cutter
(J Prosthet Dent 2002;87:403-6.)

S-U-CERAMO-WAXES
S-U-CERAMO-CAPS- WAXES
S-U-CERAMO-WIRE-WAX
• Purest special waxes for press ceramics which top the increasing quality requests in
the field
• Absolutely purest raw material
oraganic components
most effectively composed properties for press ceramics
Immediate recoginition of secondary contamination
Finest filration of the raw material used
Protected against contamination by an acrylic coping
• Dipping wax with maximum dimensional stability
• Available in sticks
• Perfect cervical margin in press ceramics

LIGHT CURING WAXES
• Using light-curing waxes is a novelty in the field of removable dentures
• Reducing the working time
• Wax patterns of the metallic frameworks of the removable partial dentures could be made directly on the
cast using “LiWa”
• It is the combination of wax and light-curing component
• It is ready to use, light-curing sculpting material containing acrylates, components with wax-like
properties, and fillers that limit contraction and give sculpting material a wax like to kneadable
consistency.
• It can be sculpted hot or cold
• It is supplied in a tin and a different preform LiWa pattern
Aeran, et al.:Light Cure Waxes- A Cost & Time Effective Method In Dental Technology

Unpolimerised liwa can be added to
polimerised liwa components using an
electric wax knife
The two parts to be connected should
be roughened using a rotary
instrument
It is then activated with LiWaAkti Bond
for 30 secs to ensure a chemical bond
It is then light cure for 30 secs
Cristina MB, Liliana S, Sorin P. Using of light curing “waxes” in the removable partial denture technology. Int Poster J Dent Oral Med
2007;9:371-8.

CONCLUSION
• For dentists and technician wax is a critical component in the fabrication of many
restorations and procedures
• The specific use of dental wax determines the properties that are more desirable for a
successful application
• Proper manipulation is critical to ensure that these properties do not interfere with the
final dental restoration

REFERENCES
• Dental Materials And Their Selection William J.O Brien 3 rd ED
• Robert C. Craig John M. Powers, JohnC.Wataha; Dental materials properties and manipulationO'Brien, W.J., Dental
materials and their selection. 2002.
• Materials, C.O.D. and Devices, Revised American Dental Association Specification No. 4 for dental inlay casting wax.
The Journal of the American Dental Association, 1975. 90(2): p. 447-450.
• Lasater, R., Control of wax distortion by manipulation. The Journal of the American Dental Association, 1940. 27(4): p.
518-524.
• Materials, C.o.D. and Devices, New American Dental Association Specification No. 24 for Base Plate Wax Adopted. The
Journal of the American Dental Association, 1971. 82(3): p. 603-606.
• Darvell, B. and N. Wong, Viscosity of dental waxes by use of Stokes' Law. Dental Materials, 1989. 5(3): p. 176-180.
• Ahmed Hilal Sheriff, Preetham Prasad Nittla. Dental Waxes–A Review. Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2019;
12(11):5589-5594. doi: 10.5958/0974-360X.2019.00968.5

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