DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATIVE DENTISTRY AND ENDODONTICS

Introduction
The dental profession has used precision-type precisioncastings for the most part of century. Using the century. lost wax technique, Taggart in 1907 developed a process for making castings used in restoration of prepared teeth. Since the teeth. process did not take into account all the dimensional changes associated with the casting technique, the resultant product did exhibit some problems in terms of dimensional accuracy. accuracy.

Definition

Casting is a fabrication process whereby a totally molten metal is poured into a mold cavity having a desired shape ; upon solidification, the metal assumes the shape of the mold. mold.

Classification of Dental Casting Alloys

Alloy Type
High noble metal

Total noble metal content

contains40 wt% Au and 60 wt% of the noble metal elements (Au+Ir+Os +Pt+Rh+Ru ) Contains 25 wt% of the noble metal elements Contains <25 wt% of the noble metal elements

Noble metal

Predominantly base metal

Journal of American Dental Association (1984)

Classification of Alloys for All Metal Restorations , Metal Ceramic Restorations, and Frameworks for Removable Partial Dentures
Alloy Type All Metal Metal Ceramic Removable Partial Dentures Au-Ag-CuAu-Ag-Cu-Pd

High Noble

Au-Ag-CuAu-Ag-Cu-Pd Metal Ceramic alloys

Au-PtAu-Pt-Pd Au-Pd-Ag(5Au-Pd-Ag(5-12 wt% Ag) AuAu-Pd (no Ag) PdPd-Au (no Ag) Pd-AuPd-Au-Ag PdPd-Ag PdPd-Cu PdPd-Co Pd-GaPd-Ga-Ag Pure Ti Ti-Al-V Ti-AlNi-Cr-MoNi-Cr-Mo-Be Ni-CrNi-Cr-Mo Co-CrCo-Cr-W

Noble

Ag-Pd-AuAg-Pd-Au-Cu AgAg-Pd Metal Ceramic alloys

Ag-Pd-AuAg-Pd-Au-Cu AgAg-Pd

Base Metal

Pure Ti Ti-Al-V Ti-AlNi-Cr-MoNi-Cr-Mo-Be Ni-CrNi-Cr-Mo Co-CrCo-Cr-W Al bronze

Pure Ti Ti-Al-V Ti-AlNi-Cr-MoNi-Cr-Mo-Be Ni-CrNi-Cr-Mo Co-CrCo-Cr-W

Phillips; Science of dental material ; 10th edition

Classification Of Traditional Casting Alloys

TYPE I II III IV HARDNESS Soft Medium Hard Extra USE Single Surfaces Inlays/Onlays Crowns/Bridges Bridges & partial dentures

JADA, Leinfelder ;1997;128;37-45

Casting Shrinkage
Most metals & alloys, including gold & noble metal alloys, shrink when they change from the liquid to the solid state. state. Shrinkage occurs in 3 stages: stages: The thermal contraction of the liquid metal between the temperature to which it is heated and the liquidus temperature. temperature. The contraction of metal inherent in its change from liquid to the solid state. state. The thermal contraction of the solid metal that occurs down the room temperature. temperature.
Phillips; Science of dental material ; 10th edition

COMPENSATION FOR SHRINKAGE

Setting or Hygroscopic expansion of investment material: Hygroscopic low heat technique Thermal expansion of investment: High heat thermal expansion technique

Hygroscopic low heat technique

Obtains its compensation expansion from 3 sources: 1. The 37C water bath expands the wax pattern 2. The warm water entering the investment mold from the top adds some hygroscopic expansion 3. The thermal expansion at 500C provides the needed thermal expansion. Because of the potential for reduced venting, back pressure porosity is a greater hazard in this technique than the high heat technique, since the investments generally employed with this technique may be more dense.

High heat thermal Expansion

Obtain its compensation expansion almost entirely by burn-out. burnAdditional expansion results from the slight heating of gypsum investments on setting, thus expanding the wax pattern, & the water entering the investment from the wet liner, which adds a small amount of hygroscopic expansion to the normal setting expansion.

INVESTMENT MATERIALS
  

Gypsum Bonded Investments Phosphate Bonded Investments Ethyl Silicate Bonded Investments

Phillips; Science of dental material ; 10th edition

Gypsum Based Investments

The gypsum based investments have traditionally been used for casting of gold alloy inlays, onlays, crowns and fixed partial dentures. Main Constituents:- a - hemihydrate of gypsum and quartz Constituents: which serves as a binder and gives strength to the investment. Gypsum shrinks at a temperature range between 200 and 400C, it slightly expands between 400 and 700C and than it undergoes significant shrinkage beyond 700C. Because of this property, the gypsum should not be heated beyond 700C. In order to compensate for this shrinkage (which could cause the pattern void to expand) the pure gypsum moulds are significantly undersized. Silica is added to provide a refractory component. If silica is added to the investment, this shrinkage can be reduced or even turned into expansion.
Phillips; Science of dental material ; 10th edition

Phosphate Bonded Investments

The spread of use of phosphate based investment is caused by an increase in use of metal ceramic prosthesis, which require higher melting temperatures than gold alloys. alloys. The investment consists also of binders and refractory filler, which are the same as for the gypsum based investments. investments. However, the binder in this case is magnesium oxide and a monoammonium phosphate. Carbon is also often added to the phosphate. investment in order to help to produce a clean casting and to encourage easier divesting of the casting from the mould. mould. Differently to the gypsum based investments, these investment in practice do not show signs of setting shrinkage, but rather of slight expansion. expansion.
Phillips; Science of dental material ; 10th edition

Ethyl Silicate Bonded Investments

Used in construction of high-fusing base metal highpartial denture alloys. Binder is Silica gel which reverts to silica on heating. This type of investment can be heated to 1090C 1090C -1180C & is compatible with higher fusing alloys.

CASTING- LOST WAX CASTINGPROCEDURE

The process involves producing a metal casting using a refractory mould made from a wax replica pattern. The steps involved in the process or the lost wax casting are: Create a wax pattern of the missing tooth / rim Sprue the wax pattern Invest the wax pattern Eliminate the wax pattern by burning it (inside the furnace or in hot water) .This will create a mould. Force molten metal into the mould - casting. Clean the cast. Remove sprue from the cast Finish and polish the casting on the die.

SPRUE: S : PRUE: A sprue is the channel in a refractory investment mold through which molten metal flows.

Figure 1 Spherical reservoir on the vertical sprue (left), indirect sprue with the horizontal reservoir bar

Sprue Lost - Head (Reservoir)

For preventing cavities and porosities, due to thermal contraction

LINER:
Investment materials have a property of expanding on setting.If the investment was confined on the outside this could cause shrinkage of the of the mould / wax pattern. In order to prevent this effect a flexible split ring or a rubber ring could be used. However, the most commonly used technique is to line the casting ring with either an aluminosilicate liner or a cellulose liner.

CASTING THE DENTAL ALLOY

Crucible
(melting pot)

Hot zone

The molten mass

Casting mold

CASTING MACHINES
1.

Centrifugal Casting Machine

2.

Electrical ResistanceResistanceHeated Casting Machine Induction Melting Machine

3.

Melting Noble Metal Alloys: There are several methods for melting of alloys, which are combined with the casting methods and appropriate casting machines.: Torch melting, Electrical melting.

Cleaning the cast:

. The dark surface of the casting can be removed by a process called pickling heating the discoloured casting in an acid until the discoloration vanishes. . Polishing of the casting is the final in its preparation. Rubber, rag or felt wheels impregnated with abrasives are used in the initial phase of this stage. Final polishing is achieved using various oxides of tin and aluminium used in conjunction with a small rag or chamois buffing wheel, followed with an iron oxide rouge.

CASTING DEFECTS
Defects in casting can be classified as: 1. DISTORTION 2. SURFACE ROUGHNESS & IRREGULARITIES 3. POROSITY 4. DISCOLOURATION 5. INCOMPLETE CASTING OR MISSING DETAIL

Distortion:
CausesCauses Distortion of wax pattern Due to uneven movement of the walls of wax pattern when investment is setting. The gingival margins are forced apart by the mold expansion, whereas the solid occlusal bar of wax resists expansion during the early stage of setting. SolutionsSolutions Proper manipulation of wax & handling of the pattern.

Poor Surface finish:

CausesCauses Air bubbles on the pattern Water films causing ridges & veins on the surface. Too rapid heating resulting in fins or spines Underheating causing incomplete elimination of wax Inappropriate water/powder ratio Prolonged heating Temperature of alloy too high Casting pressure too high Foreign bodies Impact of molten alloy Pattern position

SolutionsSolutions Use of Vacuum Investing Technique Vibrate before & after mixing Use a wetting agent to reduce surface tension of wax pattern. Air dry the wetting agent as excess water will dilute investment, causing irregularities The mold should be heated gradually Heat the ring for sufficient period of time so that the carbonaceous residue is removed Water/powder ratio should be accurate Gypsum bonded investments should never be heated above 700C Alloys submitted to vacuum casting showed decreased surface roughness, compared to alloys submitted to acetylene- oxygen acetyleneflame casting.
Journal of Prosthetic dentistry, 2004, vol 92, 274-277 274-

Porosity:
Porosity of the casting can be spread within the casting and on its surface. The surface porosity adds to surface roughness, but can also be a sing of the internal porosity. The internal porosity could weaken the casting, may cause discoloration if spread to the surface and in extreme cases could lead to a leakage.

Classification of porosities (According to Phillips):

Porosities

Solidification Defects

Trapped gases

Residual Air

Localized Shrinkage

Microporosity

Pinhole Porosity

Gas Inclusions

Subsurface Porosity Phillips; Science of dental material ; 10th edition

Localized Shrinkage Porosity Causes: Generally caused by incomplete feeding of molten metal during solidification.If the sprue is not properly designed and implemented then it may solidify before the feeding is complete thus preventing a continuous supply of molten alloy. This type of defect usually occurs close to the sprue-casting junction. sprueSolutions: Ryge et al recommended the use of a sprue diameter larger than the thickest cross section of the casting.

Journal of dental rest.; Jan 1981; vol 60; no1; page 59-67 59Phillips; science of dental materials; 10th edition

Macroporosity:
CausesCauses-

Primarily a shrinkage porosity The portion of a cylindrical casting which solidifies last is the low pressure side of the liquid metal close to the free surface of the button, therefore macroporosity always appears in this portion of casting. SolutionSolution Reduce by providing a reservoir contiguous or close to the low pressure end of the liquid metal It may be affected by the closeness of the individual units in a multiple unit casting.

Phillips; Science of dental material ; 10th edition Journal of dental restoration; Jan 1981;vol 60; no. 1;page 59-67 59-

HOT SPOT:SPOT:Localized shrinkage porosity may result from the formation of HOT SPOT when metal impinges on the mold surface so that here the metal remains molten while it solidifies everywhere else. This hot spot causes the local region to freeze last and result in SUCK BACK
POROSITY.

Solutions:  Flare the point of sprue attachment  Proper placement of sprue  Do not use excessively long sprue  Use a reservoir  Reduce the mold-melt temperature differential mold(i.e. lower the casting temperature by about 30C).

Microporosity:

Microporosity is also caused by solidification shrinkage, but generally happens in fine grain alloys when the solidification is too rapid for the microvoids to segregate. This in turn is caused the mould or casting temperature being too low.

Trapped Gases
1. 2.

Pinhole Porosity Gas Inclusion Porosity Both these porosities are related to the entrapment of gas during solidification. Both are characterized by a spherical contour. Gas inclusion porosities are much higher than pinhole porosities.

SUBSURFACE POROSITY
CauseCauseSimultaneous nucleation of solid grains and gas bubbles at the first moment that the metal freezes at the mold walls SolutionSolution Diminished by controlling the rate at which the molten metal enters the mold Ryge et al reported that subsurface & microporosities are reduced by the use of a sufficiently long sprue & a melt temperature of 100C-150C above the melting point of alloy. 100C According to Leinfelder et al reported that long sprues are preferable for thick castings while short sprues are beneficial for thin castings i.e. the sprue design should be related to the surface area-to-volume ratio of castings. area-to-

ENTRAPPED AIR POROSITY

Referred to as Back Pressure porosity. Can produce large concave depression. CausesCausesInability of the air in the mold to escape through the pores in the investment or by the pressure gradient that displaces the air pocket toward the end of the investment via the molten sprue & button.

Journal of dental rest.; Jan 1981; vol 60; no1; page 59-67 59Phillips; science of dental materials; 10th edition

SolutionSolution Proper burnout An adequate mold & casting temperature. A sufficiently high casting pressure Proper liquid : powder ratio. The thickness of investment between the tip of the pattern and the end of the ring should not be greater than 6mm. Srickland & Sturdevant suggested that sprue design variables have no effect on these porosities; venting, high melt temperatures, proper positioning of the pattern in the ring, choice of investment & the use of reservoir can assist in reducing or eliminating the back pressure porosities.

Journal of dental rest.; Jan 1981; vol 60; no1; page 59-67 59 Phillips; science of dental materials; 10th edition

INCOMPLETE CASTINGS

CausesCauses Inadequate spruing ( sprue former too small) Alloy not hot enough Incomplete elimination of wax residues from the mold Mold too cold Ingate obstructed Insufficient casting force

SolutionsSolutions Use proper size of sprue former Casting temperature should be higher than the liquidus temperature of alloy Ensure that no debris blocks the ingate Use adequate amount of force for casting

DISCOLOURATION
CausesCauses Sulphur contamination of casting causing black castings Contamination with copper during pickling Contamination with mercury SolutionSolution Avoid overheating of investment Avoid use of torch flame as it contains sulphur Avoid use of steel tongs to hold casting during pickling Castings should never be placed with amalgam dies or kept on a table where amalgam scrap is present

References

Phillips; Science of dental materials; 10th edition. Journal of American Dental Association, Leinfelder Association, ;1997 Journal of American Dental Association: 1984 Journal of Dental Restoration; Jan 1981; vol 60 Journal of American Dental Association; 1993 Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry; 1989 Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry; 2004