UNIVERSITAS PADJAJARAN

Dental Material
Dental Wax
Wong Shok Chang
160110123007
 1)Introduction:
Wax(waks) has a low-melting point, high-molecular-weight. It is organic mixture/ compound that
similar to fats and oils but lacking glycerides. It may be deposited by insects or obtained from
plants/ prepared synthetically.

Dental wax is a mixture of two or more waxes with other additives, used in dentistry for casts,
construction of nonmetallic denture bases, registering of jaw relations, and laboratory work.

 Baseplate wax: dental wax provided in sheet form that is used to establish the initial arch form in
the construction of complete dentures.

 Bite wax: A wax form used to record the occlusal surfaces of teeth as an aid to establish
maxilomandibular relationships.

 Boxing wax: a sheet wax used as a border at the perimeter of an impression to provide enclosed
boundary for the base of the cast to be made from a poured material such as gypsum or resin.

 Corrective wax: a thermoplastic wax used to make a type of dental impression, aka dental
impression wax

 Direct wax technique: method by which a wax pattern is made directly on the prepared tooth in
the mouth

 Indirect wax technique: method by which a wax pattern is prepared on a die.

Dental waxes composed of natural and synthetic waxes, gums, fats, fatty acid, oils, natural and
synthetic resins and pigments.

I n c lin ic s I n la b o r a t o r ie s

B it e r e g is t r a t io n B o x in g t e c h n iq u e s

A lt e r a t io n s a n d a d a p t a t io n
f o r im p r e s s io n t r a y s
D ir e c t w a x in g f o r c a s t
r e s t o r a t io n s
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
B a s e p la t e f o r c o m p le t e a n d
p a r t ia l d e n t u r e s
H o ld c o m p o n e n t s b e f o r e
a r t ic u la t io n
I n d ir e c t p a t t e r n f o r c a s t in g

Dental wax supplied in variety of colors, including blue, green, yellow, red and ivory. The colors are
useful to provide a suitable contrast against the die that in an accurate replica of a prepared tooth or
arch form. Ivory-coloured wax is useful for aesthetic case presentations.
 Inlay waxes may be softened over a flame or in water of 54-60°C to enable their flow in the liquid
state and adaptation to the prepared tooth/die.

2)Composition
The principal waxes used to formulate inlay waxes are paraffin, microcrystalline wax, ceresin, carnauba,
candelilla and beeswax. Synthetic waxes are chemically synthesized analogs of natural wax molecules.
Synthetic waxes are relatively more homogeneous and pure than natural waxes.

Natural waxes Synthetic waxes Additives

Minerals -Acrawax C Fats

-paraffin -Aerosol,OT -stearic acid
-microcrystalline -Custorwax -glyceryl-tristearate
-barnsdahl -Flexowax C Turpentine
-ozokerite -Epolene N-10 Oils
-ceresin -Albacer Color
-montan -Aldo33 Natural resins
Plants -Durawax 1032 Rosin
-carnauba -Copal
-ouricury -Dammar
-candelilla -sandarac
-japan wax -mastic
-cocoabutter -shellac
-kauri
Insect Synthetic resins
-beeswax -elvax
Animal -polyethylene
-spermaceti -polystyrene

3)General requirement of dental wax

There are many varieties of wax for use in Dentistry, both in the clinic and the Laboratory,
and each has very particular requirements depending on its role. Waxes are organic polymers
consisting of hydrocarbons and their derivatives (eg,esters and alcohols). Dental waxes are
blends of ingredients, including: natural waxes, synthetic waxes, natural resins, oils, fats,
gums and coloring agents.

Natural waxes come from 3 main sources: Mineral, insect and vegetable
2. Synthetic waxes

Synthetic waxes are complex organic compounds of varied chemical compositions. It has
different chemically from natural waxes. It also has high refinement of synthetic waxes but
contamination is common in natural waxes. Both the synthetic and natural wax has similar
physical properties such as melting point and hardness.

3.Natural resins

Resins are complex, amorphous mixtures of organic substances that are characterized by specific
physical properties instead of chemical properties. Natural resins resemble waxes in appearance
and properties. It is insoluble in water but vary solubility in certain organic liquids. It obtains
mostly from trees but shellac is produced from insect.

Examples as follows:

Natural Resins: Dammar & Kauri may be mixed with waxes to improve hardness

Synthetic Resins: Polyethene and vinyl resins may be added to Paraffin waxes to improve
toughness, film-forming characteristic and melting ranges.

4. Oils

Oils have pronounced effect on properties of wax. Examples, hydrocarbon oils is used to soften
mixtures of waxes. Small quantities of silicone oils may be added to improve the ease of
polishing with waxes.

5. Fats
Chemically, fats are glycerides(composed of esters of fatty acid in glycerol) which distinguish
them from waxes. Eg: tristearate, plamitic and butyric acid. It functions as increasing melting
point and therefore the hardness of wax.

6. Gums

Waxes obtained from plants and animals resemble in appearance a group of substances. Plants
produce variety of gums that are viscous, amorphous exudates that harden on exposure to air.
Gum arabic & tragacanth are 2 natural gums that do not resemble waxes in either their properties
or composition.

General requirement:

When softened, the wax should be uniform, there should be no graininess or hard spots in the
plastic material. The color should contrast with the die. A definite color contrast helps in
identifying and finishing of margins. There should be no flakiness or roughening of the surface
when the wax is moulded after softening. The wax should not pull or chip during carving. During
burnout (500 degree celcius), it should vaporize completely without residue. The wax pattern
should be completely rigid and dimensionally stable at all times until it is eliminated. It should
be sufficiently plastic slightly above the cooled to mouth temperature. The flow should be more
than 70% at 45degree celcius and less than 1% at 37degree celcius.

4)Properties
1. Melting range: a range of temperatures at which each component of the wax will start to soften
and then flow. The operator can control the viscosity of wax by controlling temperature.

2. Flow: is the movement of the wax as molecules slip over each other. Melting range and flow of
the wax are important in wax manipulation by operator.

Melting range

Waxes may contain several types of molecules, each having a range of molecular weights, they have
melting ranges rather than melting points. The melting range for paraffin wax is from 44° to 62°C and for
carnauba wax, from 50° to 90°C. When a mixture of 75% paraffin and 25% carnauba wax was prepared,
the paraffin component melted at essentially the same temperatures but melting temperature of
carnauba wax was decreased slightly. The present of 2.5% carnauba wax had little effect on the melting
range, but the range increased rapidly as the concentration of carnauba wax was increased to 10%

Flow
Each type of casting wax exhibits a characteristic flow curve as a function of temperature. It also exhibits
a sharp transition point (temperature) at which it loses its plasticity. Soft wax exhibits this transition
point at a lower temperature and hard wax exhibits at higher temperature. Inlay waxes do not solidify
with a space lattice, as does a metal. The structure is more likely to consist of crystalline and amorphous
structural regions, displaying limited ordering of the molecules. The wax lacks rigidity and may flow
under stress even at room temperature. The flow of ANSI/ADA specification No.4 is measured by
subjecting cylindrical specimens to a designated load at the stated temperature and measuring the
percentage of reduction in length. The maximum flow permitted for Type I waxes at 37°C (98°F) is 1%.
The low flow at this temperature permits carving and removal of pattern from the prepared cavity oral
temperature without distortion. Both Type I and Type II waxes must have minimal flow of 70% and a
maximum flow of 90% at 45°C.

Thermal properties

The thermal conductivity of the waxes is low, and time is required both to heat them uniformly
throughout and to cool them to body or room temperature. They have high coefficient of thermal
expansion. A comparison of the coefficient of thermal expansion of dental materials indicates that inlay
wax thermally expands and contracts more per degree of temperature change than any other dental
material. This property is less significant when the wax is used in the indirect technique because the
pattern is not subjected to a change from mouth to room temperature. The thermal dimensional change
may be affected by the previous treatment of the wax. The temperature at which the change in rate
occurs is known as the glass transition temperature. Some constituents of the wax probably change
crystalline form at this temperature and the wax is more plastic higher temperature. Temperature of the
die and the method used for applying pressure to the wax as it solidifies influence the amount of
thermal expansion. Thermal dimensional change of inlay waxes is probably not a serious problem when
the indirect technique is used, provided no marked variation in temperature occurs after the removal of
the pattern from the die.

Residual stress

Residual stress exists in the completed pattern. The presence of residual stress can be demonstrated by
comparing the thermal expansion curves of annealed wax with wax that has been cooled under
compression or tension. When the wax specimen is prepared by holding the softened wax under
compression during cooling, followed by the determination of the thermal expansion, the thermal
expansion is greater than for the annealed specimen. When the wax specimen is cooled while being
subjected to tensile stress and the thermal expansion is determined, the curve for the wax specimen is
lower than that for the annealed specimen. If sufficient residual stress is introduced, a thermal
contraction may result on heating. Excess residue for the sake of accuracy in the object produced, if
excess residue remains after melted wax is removed, inaccuracies may occur. (lost wax technique
procedure)
Dimensional change: waxes expand when heated, contract when cooled. Thermal expansion of waxes is
highest among dental materials. This property is important especially for pattern waxes (e.g. inlay wax).
How:

If wax is heated well beyond melting range or unevenly, unacceptable expansion occurs or if wax is
allowed to stand for a long time, the release of residual stresses will lead to dimensional changes and
inaccuracies. This is why pattern wax should be invested within 30 minutes of carving.

5）Classification and Usage of Waxes:

（A）Processing wax
Processing wax used primarily to aid in dental procedures, as accessory aids in construction of
restorations & appliances both clinically & in laboratory. Example (a) Boxing Wax; (b) Utility
Wax; (c) Sticky Wax

Boxing wax

Boxing wax used to form a plaster or stone cast from an impression of edentulous arch, first a
wax box must be formed around the impression, into which freshly mixed plaster or stone is
poured and vibrated. A sheet wax used as border at perimeter of an impression to provide
enclosed boundary for base of cast to be made from poured material (gypsum or resin) Procedure
process known as boxing. It is supplied as boxing wax (sheets) and beading wax (strips).

Advantages:

i. preserve extensions and landmarks

ii. controls thickness of borders

iii. controls form and thickness of the base of cast

iv. conserves artificial stone

Properties:

lower temperature limit of ductility and flow (pliable at 21˚C & should retain its shape at 35˚C)
(as impression may be made from viscoelastic material that easily distorted > adapted to
impression at this room temperature is needed) Carding wax and boxing wax have been used
interchangeably.

Carding wax is original material on which porcelain teeth were fixed when received from
manufacturer (Boxing Wax is more acceptable)
Technique: Height is adjusted until boxing wax strip extends approximately 13mm above highest
point on the impression stone is vibrated into boxed impression.

B) Utility wax

Utility wax also called Periphery Wax It composed mainly of beeswax, petrolatum & other soft
waxes (varying proportions)It used to adjust contour of perforated tray for use with
hydrocolloids to prevent sag or distortion in impression material especially to raise flange height,
extend the tray posteriorly and raise palatal portion of tray in cases of deep palate

Utility wax supplied as stick and sheet form (dark red or orange). It is soft & pliable (21˚C-
24˚C). Therefore, workable & easily adapted to room temperature and sufficient adhesiveness is
needed for building one layer on top of another in this temperature. Adhesive wax stick to the
tray. Flow of utility wax (not < 65% or > 80% at 37.5˚C)

C) Sticky Wax

Sticky wax composed of mainly of yellow beeswax, rosin, ad natural resin (like gum dammer)

It has properties of good adhesion (sticky) when melted and adhere closely to dry, clean surface
upon which it is applied. It is an orange stick that is firm, free from tackiness and brittle at room
temperature (dark or vivid colour > distinguishable from light-coloured gypsum material)

It is used to assemble (join) metallic or resin pieces in fixed temporary position. It is primarily
for joining fragments of broken dentures (dental stone and plaster) before repair procedure. It has
a variety of other uses mainly joining purpose.

IMPRESSION WAX
Used to record non-undercut edentulous portions of mouth and it is also used in combination
with other impression materials (polysulfide rubber, ZOE, or dental impression compound)

(a) Corrective impression Wax

(b) Bite Registration Wax

(a) Corrective impression Wax

Corrective impression wax used as wax veneer over original impression to contact and register
detail of soft tissues to make functional impression of free end saddles. (Class I & II removable
partial dentures) It also used to record posterior palatal seal in dentures. It is a functional
impression for obturators.

It consist of hydrocarbon waxes such as paraffin, ceresin and beeswax. It may contain metal
particles. Properties include the flow at 37˚C is 100%, subjected to distortion during removal
from mouth and should be poured immediately. They are replaced by elastomeric impression
material. Disadvantage is they exhibit high flow & distort on withdrawal from undercuts.

(b) Bite impression wax

Also known as Occlusal registration wax. It is used to articulate certain models of opposing
quardrant and to record relationship between upper and lower teeth (important to mount the cast
correctly in articulator)It supplied as U-shaped rods on wafers (one side of the wax is usually
covered with foil) It composed of Beeswax or paraffin or ceresin,some contain aluminum and
copper particle

Procedure: the wax is softened in warm water. Soft wax is then placed between teeth and patient
is asked to bite. It is then taken out and placed in chilled water. The casts of the patient is placed
in indentations formed by teeth. It is then mounted with plaster on the articulator.

(B) PATTERN WAX

Wax patterns are used in a casting process called investment casting. The main advantage of wax
patterns is that it can be reused multiple times. A combination of paraffin wax, bees wax and
carnauba wax is used for this purpose. Plaster of Paris is usually used in making master dies and
molds, as it gains hardness quickly, with a lot of flexibility when in the setting stage.

• A variety of dental waxes and resins have been used in dentistry for specific and well-
defined applications.

• In some instances, the most favourable qualities can be obtained in a single wax, such as
beeswax, but more often a blend of several waxes is necessary to develop the most
desirable characteristics.

• Pattern waxes are used to form the general predetermined size and contour of an artificial
dental restoration, which is to be constructed of a more durable material such as cast gold
alloys, cobalt-chromium alloys or acrylic resin.

Lost-wax casting
Lost-wax casting is the process by which a metal (such as silver, gold, brass or bronze) sculpture
is cast from an artist's sculpture. In industrial uses, the modern process is called investment
casting. Other names include "waste wax process" or "waste mould casting", because the mould
is destroyed to unveil the cast item.

steps for indirect process:

Inlay Pattern Waxes

Gold inlays, crowns, and bridge units are formed by a casting process that uses the lost-wax
pattern technique.
The principal waxes used to formulate inlay waxes are paraffin, microcrystalline, wax, ceresin,
candelila, carnauba and beeswax. For example, an inlay wax may contain 60% paraffin, 25 %
carnauba, 10% ceresin and 5% beeswax. Therefore the hydrocarbon waxes constitute the major
portion of the formulation. Some inlay waxes are described as hard, regular or soft, indicating their
flow.

The flow can be reduced by adding more carnauba wax or selecting a higher melting-point
paraffin wax. Resins, in small amounts (1%) also affect the flow of inlay waxes. Inlay waxes are
usually produced in deep blue, green or purple rods about 7.5cm long and 0.64 cm in diameter.
Some are also in the form of small pellets, cones or in metal ointment jars.

Properties

The accuracy and ultimate usefulness of the resulting gold casting depend largely on the accuracy and
fine detail of the wax pattern. Because the wax patterns are to be melted and vaporized from the
investment mold, it is essential that no excessive residue remain in the mold because of incomplete wax
burnout. Excess residue may result in the incomplete casting of inlay margins.

Types 1 (soft) & 2 (hard) dental inlay casting waxes are recognized by ANSI/ADA Specification No.4

The lower flow in Type 2 wax and the greater ease of carving the Type 1 waxes are desirable working
characteristics for the techniques associated with each. Other specifications include method of
softening and working temperature. Both types should soften without becoming flaky and when
trimmed to a fine margin during the pattern-carving operation, they should not chip or flake.

Flow

When forming a wax pattern directly in the mouth, the wax must be heated to a temperature at which it
has sufficient flow under compression to reproduce the prepared cavity walls in great detail.
Temperature for direct wax patterns should not be too high (causes damage to vital tooth structure &
causes patient to be uncomfortable) nor too low (insufficient flow causing lack of cavity detail & excess
stress within pattern).

Warpage of Wax Patterns

Inlay pattern was has a high coefficient of expansion and tends to warp or distort when allowed to stand
unrestrained. The distortion increases as temp and time increases. This quality of wax patterns is related
to the release of residual stress developed in the pattern during the process of formation. This
characteristic of stress release and warpage is present in all dental waxes, but is particularly troublesome
in inlay patterns because of the critical dimensional relations that must be maintained in inlay castings.

Warpage of pattern is related to temperature during pattern formation and storage therefore rules
related to the pattern formation and storage must be understood. In general, the higher the
temperature of the wax at the time the pattern was adapted and shaped, the less the tendency for
distortion. The incorporation of residual stress can be minimized by softening the wax uniformly by
heating at 50°C for at least 15 mins before use, using warmed carving instruments, warmed die and
adding wax to the die little by little. Warpage is also associated the storage temp.

Higher temps cause greater warpage. Lower temp does not completely prevent distortion but minimizes
it. If inlay patterns must be allowed to stand uninvested for a time longer than 30 mins, they should be
kept in a fridge. A refrigerated wax pattern should be allowed to warm to room temp before it is
invested. The best way to minimize warpage is to invest the pattern immediately after it is completely
shaped. During spruing, distortion can be reduced by use of a solid wax sprue or a hollow metal sprue
filled with sticky wax.

Casting Wax
The patterns for the metallic framework of removable partial dentures and other similar
structures are fabricated from casting waxes. These waxes are available in the form of sheets,
usually 28- and 30- gauge (0.40 and 0.32 mm) thickness, ready-made shapes and in bulk.

The ready-made shapes, are supplied as round, half-round and half-pear-shaped rods and wires of
various gauges in approximately 10-cm lengths. Although casting waxes serve the same purpose
as inlay wax in the formation of patterns for metallic castings, their physical properties differ
slightly.

Casting wax sheets are used to establish minimum thickness in certain areas of the partial
denture framework, such as palatal and lingual bar.

Physical Characteristics

The casting sheets and ready-made shapes of certain types of casting waxes may possess a slight
degree of tackiness, which helps to maintain their position on the cast and on each other during
assembly of the pattern. This tackiness is not sufficient to prevent changes in position from being
made with relative ease, and when the waxes are in final position, they are sealed to the
investment cast with a hot spatula.

There is no ANSI/ADA specification for these casting waxes, but a federal specification has been
formulated that includes values for softening temperature, amount of flow at various
temperature, general working qualities, and other characteristics.

Baseplate Wax
Baseplate wax derives its name from its use on the baseplate tray to establish the vertical
dimension of plane of occlusion, and initial arch form in the technique for the complete denture
restoration. This wax may also be used to form all or a portion of the tray itself. The normally
pink color produces an esthetic quality for the initial stage of construction of the denture before
processing.

Baseplate wax is the material used to produce the desired contour of the denture after the teeth
are set in position. As a result, the contour wax establishes the pattern for the final plastic
denture. Patterns for orthodontic appliances and prostheses other than complete dentures, which
are to be constructed of plastics, are also made of baseplate wax.

Composition

A few formulas are found in the literature for baseplate wax. Baseplate waxes may contain 70%
to 80% paraffin-based waxes or commercial ceresin, with small quantities of other waxes, resins
and additives.

A typical composition might include 80% ceresin, 12% beeswax, 2.5% carnauba, 3% natural or
synthetic resins, and 2.5% microcrystalline or synthetic waxes.

Physical Characteristics

Baseplate waxes are normally supplied in sheets 7.60 X 15.00 X 0.13 cm in pink or red. The
manufacturers usually formulate 3 types of wax to accommodate the varying climates in which
they will be used, because the flow of the wax is influenced greatly by the temperature. Because
baseplate wax is used both to set denture teeth and to adapt around these teeth to develop proper
contour, the dimensional changes that may take place because of variations in temperature are
important.
Although no shrinkage value from a molten state to room temperature is required by the
specification, the linear thermal expansion from 26°C to 40°C should be less than 0.8%. There is
residual stress within the baseplate wax that holds and surrounds the teeth of a wax denture
pattern. This stress results from a differential cooling, “pooling” the wax with a hot spatula, and
physically manipulating the wax below its most desirable working temperature.

Both time and temperature affects the relief of these residual stresses ; the waxed and properly
articulated denture should not be allowed to stand for long periods of time, especially when
subjected to elevated temperatures. Such treatment often results in distortion of the wax and
movement of the teeth. The waxed denture should be flasked soon after the completion to
maintain the greatest accuracy of tooth relations.