Gypsum products such as plaster, stone, and die stone are used in dentistry to make casts and dies. Plaster is the weakest and most porous, while die stone is the densest. Different gypsum products are used for different applications based on their strength and accuracy properties. Gypsum is mined and calcined to form hemihydrate, then mixed with water which causes it to crystallize back into dihydrate. The water-powder ratio, particle size, and other factors affect the strength and setting time of the final material. Proper manipulation and timing are required to produce functional casts and dies from gypsum.