WAXES

TABLE OF CONTENT
 DEFINITION
 INTRODUCTION
 REQUIREMENTS
 COMPOSITION
 PROPERTIES
 CLASSIFICATION
DEFINITION
Waxes are thermoplastic material
which are normally solid at room
temperature but melt, without
decomposition to form mobile
liquids.
 INTRODUCTION
 Waxes expand when there is increase in the
temperature and contract when there is
decrease in temperature.

 They are soft substances with poor mechanical

properties and their primary uses in dentistry
are to form the pattern of appliances prior to
casting.
 INDIRECT WAX PATTEREN
TECHNIQUE

 Model  Wax pattern of the appliance 

replaced by polymer or alloy.
 DIRECT WAX PATTERN
TECHNIQUE

 Mostly the inlay wax is shaped and

adopted directly in the prepared cavity
e.g. For making the inlays, onlays and
overlays.
REQUIREMENTS OF WAX
PATTERN MATERIALS
 The wax pattern must follow the exact size,
shape and contour of the appliance which is to
be constructed.

 No dimensional change should occur once the

wax pattern is formed.

 After formation of the casting mould it should

be possible to remove the wax by boiling out or
burning out without leaving a residue.
 Should be able to record details on the flow of
the material at the moulding temperature.
 COMPOSITION OF WAXES
N
 These could be of animal, mineral, a
insects and plant origin. t
u
r
 Mineral origin: a
• Paraffin wax. l
• Microcrystalline wax, are obtained from w
petroleum residue. a
x
e
s
 Animal origin: N
• Spermaceti a
t
 Plant origin: u
• Carnuaba wax r
a
• Cocoa butter
l
• Candelilla wax, are derived from trees and w
plants. a
x
e
s
 Insect
origin: N
• Beeswax, is derived from honey comb.
a
t
u
r
a
l
w
a
x
e
s
COMPONENTS OF DENTAL WAXES
COMPONENTS OF DENTAL WAXES
PROPERTIES OF DENTAL
WAXES
 Thermal Expansion
 They have the largest coefficient of thermal
expansion than any other material used in
restorative dentistry.
 They have a well defined crystalline structure.
 Waxes have a melting range rather than a
melting point. Example: Paraffin 44 – 62C⁰
Carnauba 50 – 90 C⁰
 Significance: Mixing of waxes can change their
melting range.
 Mechanical properties
 The elastic modulus, proportional limit,
and compressive strength are low and
depends on the temperature.

 Brittleness is another important property

which the manufacturers can, to some
extent, control. E.g. in inlay waxes,
brittleness is preferred in order that the
wax will fracture rather than it distort on
the removal from an undercut cavity.
 Flow
 Is the slippage of wax molecules over
each other.

 Measure of flow is the measure of the

degree of plastic deformation of the
material at a given temperature.
 Flow increases as the melting point is
reached.
 E.g. It is important for inlay wax to be
used in a DIRECT technique to have:
 A large flow of about 5˚C above the
mouth temperature so that good details of
the cavity can be attained.
Methods for softening wax
 Water bath
 Infra-red lamp
 Bunsen burner.
 Wax annealer
 Wax heating with Bunsen burner
 In order to achieve even heating with
the Bunsen burner it is important that
the wax should be held in the warm
rising air above the flame and not in the
flame itself.

 If the surface becomes shiny it indicates

that the wax is becoming too hot and
the outer layers are beginning to melt.
Wax heating with water bath

 Heating in the warm water causes more

regular softening.
Wax heating with infra red lamp
 Involves the use of a 250 W infra-red
lamp.

 The distance of the wax from the lamp

must be carefully controlled in order to
cause softening but not melting.
Wax heating with wax annealer
 It is the ideal method for wax softening.

 It is a thermostatically controlled oven

which keeps the wax at a constant
temperature, just above the softening
point, ready for use.

 The annealer is most useful for inlay

waxes.
CLASSIFICATION OF WAXES
1: PATTERN WAXES
 Pattern waxes are used to form the general
predetermined size and contour of an artificial
dental restoration.
1. Casting waxes:
They are used for making patterns of metallic
framework in the removable cast partial dentures
and other similar structures.

• Available in the form of sheets.

• Composition:
2. Base plate wax/ Modeling wax:
They are used on base plate tray to establish the
vertical dimension, plane of occlusion and initial
arch form during complete denture fabrication.
• Composition:
 Types:
I. Soft- contours and veneers
II. Hard- pattern to be tried in mouth
III. Extra hard- to be tried in mouth in warm
climate.

• Melting point ranges from 49-58˚C.

3. Inlay wax:
They are used in making patterns of inlays,
crowns, bridge units and cast post that uses the lost
wax technique.

• Available in rods or sticks, some supply in the

form of small pallets or cones.
• Composition:
• Types

1. Type1: Soft- Used for indirect techniques e.g. inlay

& cast post.
2. Type 2: Hard- Mostly for direct and sometimes for
indirect techniques too. e.g. inlays and crowns
2: PROCESSING WAX
• They are used primarily as auxiliary aids in
constructing a variety of restorations and
appliances.
• E.g. in making of dentures and soldering.
1. Boxing Wax:

• Boxing wax is used to build up vertical walls

around the impression in order to pour the gypsum
product to make a cast base.

 It is supplied as :
• Boxing wax sheets.
2. Utility Wax:

o It can be used to alter the stock tray extensions

in the form of height of the tray.
o The posterior extensions of the tray can be
increased.
o To prevent a sag and distortion of the
impression material.
o The utility wax is usually supplied in both stick
and sheet form in dark red or orange color.
3. Sticky Wax
 It is sticky when melted and adheres closely to the
surfaces when applied to it.
 It is used to assemble metallic or resin pieces in a
fixed temporary position.
 It is used to align fractured parts of acrylic
dentures.
 It is used to align the components of fixed partial
denture units before soldering.
3. Sticky Wax

 MELTING RANGE: 60-65˚C

 COMPOSITION
 Yellow bees wax: 60%
 Resin: 20%
 Gum dammar: 20%
3: IMPRESSION WAXES
• Wax formulated for use as an impression material
shows high flow and ductility.

• It distorts readily when withdrawn from undercut

areas. Therefore, the use of wax has been limited to
the non-undercut edentulous portions of the mouth.

• (ductility is a solid material's ability to deform

under tensile stress)
1. Corrective Wax:
They are used as wax veneers over an original
impression to contact and register the detail of the
soft tissues.

Composition
2. Bite Registration Wax

They are used to accurately record the relationship

of the upper & lower teeth in the dentulous
patients.
Bite Registration Wax Composition

.
Bite registration
4: OTHER WAXES
 Carving waxes:
 Are used for demonstration purposes.
 Such waxes contain synthetic and polymeric
materials and additive such as fillers and coloring
agents.
• Beading waxes:

• Beading wax is adapted around the impression

borders to create the land area of the cast.
• Soft wax is ideal for dentists to use
to bead round the edge of a functional
impression prior to casting.