If you are going through the steps of dental implant implantation, you must have heard the name of implant molding many times. With the help of molding, a three-dimensional model of the patient's teeth is made, which we use to make an implant prosthesis. In this article, we will check how many steps there are in implant molding and we will explain to you the methods of tooth molding.

implant molding has several steps

Traditional or manual molding is a common method that is still used in dentistry and has many applications. This method has several steps. In this method, we must first prepare the molding material and pour it on the tray or tray. Then we put this tray in the patient's mouth and ask him to press his teeth together. After the molding material hardens, we take it out of the tray and send it to the dental laboratory.

What is sent to the laboratory is, in fact, a model or a negative version of the patient's teeth and jaw, from which a positive model of the patient's teeth is made in the laboratory, and then it is used to make an implant prosthesis.

Choosing a molding tray (open and closed tray)

Dental impression trays are special devices into which molding materials are poured and the molding process is controlled by them. There are different types of molding trays. Some of them are metal and others are made of a special type of plastic. Metal trays are reusable and disinfected after each use, while plastic trays are disposable.

These trays are made in different models and may be used to mold the entire jaw, a quarter of the jaw, or a small and specific part of the jaw.

Choosing dental implant molding material

After choosing the right molding tray, we must choose the molding material. When choosing these materials, things like viscosity and accuracy of recording details are of great importance. Silicones, polyethers and alginates are the materials that are commonly used for tooth molding. However, a study in ncbi, which was conducted in 2018 on tooth molding with three materials, polyether (PE), polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) or increased silicone and vinyl siloxane (VSE), concluded that for molding tribase poly material Ether and polyether and vinyl siloxane are more suitable materials for terry-pack molding.

Preparation of dental implant molding paste

At this stage, we mix the desired molding material with water to get a paste. Then we pour this dough on a tray and prepare it for use.

putting the dough in the mouth to mold and take it out

Finally, we put the prepared paste inside the patient's mouth using a tray and apply proper pressure to it so that the paste fits well around the teeth. We wait for a while until the paste dries, then we take it out of the patient's mouth.

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Types of dental implant molding methods

Today, implant molding is done in two traditional (manual) and digital ways.

Open Tray formatting

In the Terry Baz molding method, the dentist or his assistant closes an open coping impression on implant fixture then injects the molding material around it. Impression coping is a small piece that is connected to the implant fixture during molding. This device determines the exact location of the implant fixture in the mold.

In this method, the dentist uses an open tray or a normal tray for molding; But the impression cupping place will make a hole on it. This way, the end of the impression coping will stick out of the tray when molding. After the molding material hardens, the dentist opens the screw of the impression coping and removes the mold along with the impression coping from the teeth.

This molding method is performed at the fixture level, it is very accurate and the movement of the components occurs as little as possible.

Close Tray formatting

In the three molding method, the impression coping is placed on the base of the implant; But this piece does not leave Terry's mouth. Rather, after the molding paste dries and the mold is removed from the mouth, the dental hygienist separates it from the implant and manually places it on the mold.

The closed or indirect method is usually performed when the dentist cannot choose an abutment. In this method, the viscosity of the molding material is important. Because the mold should not tear when leaving the mouth and separating from the impression coping.

digital method

Digital implant molding is one of the newest molding methods. In this method, the dentist uses an intraoral digital scanner to take 3D images of the teeth and the tissues around them. These images are analyzed using special software and then the required format is made using a 3D printer.

Digital tooth scanning is more accurate than traditional molding methods. This tooth molding method is used to cover implants, bridges, etc.

How long does implant molding take

The duration of implant molding depends on the molding method. Although all three mentioned methods are performed in one session and take about 10 minutes, since in the digital method, the dentist sees the scanned images on the monitor in real time, if an error has occurred or if part of the teeth are not scanned well, the dentist will quickly fix this problem. But in traditional and manual methods, detecting this error and reformatting takes more time.

Then this mold is sent to the laboratory to make a cover and implant bridge, etc. It may take a few days to a few weeks to make it, and it largely depends on how busy the lab is.

Implant molding film

In the following, you can see an example of the implant molding film titled Digital Dentistry by Dr. Hamidreza Afzali.

Does implant molding hurt

No. Implant molding does not hurt; But keeping the mouth open for these few minutes may be uncomfortable for some people. In traditional implant molding methods, if large trays are used to mold the entire jaw, the large tray may also be a bit uncomfortable. Finally, we must say that between the direct and indirect methods, the indirect method is simpler and causes less discomfort.

Of course, this inconvenience is not annoying and will be fixed in a short time. So don't worry and don't be afraid of implant molding.

To find out about the costs associated with dental implants and how suitable this process can be for you, you can refer to the Dental implant price page.

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What is the step after implant molding

After the mold is prepared and dried, the dentist checks it as much as possible to make sure that the molding is done correctly. Then he sends it to the laboratory. The first step after molding the implant is to make a model of the patient's teeth. This model is usually made of a special type of plaster and becomes the basis for making an implant prosthesis. When the prosthesis (cover or bridge) is made, the dentist checks it with the mold and then sends it to the dental office. Finally, this prosthesis is installed by the dentist on your implant.

implant molding in open method

Open or direct implant molding is one of the most accurate molding methods. In this method, the impression coping is first connected to the implant base. When the impression tray is placed on the teeth, the impression copings come out. After the molding paste has dried, the dentist unscrews the impression coping. so that this piece is taken out of the mouth with a tray and the exact location of the implant base is determined. This method is highly accurate and determines the location and angle of the implant well; But it may be a little uncomfortable for the patient.

Summary

Implant molding is one of the most important and main stages of making an implant prosthesis. The correct way of molding and its accuracy also guarantees the accuracy of the made prosthesis. Implant molding may be done manually or digitally. Finally, the mold is sent to the dental laboratory. In this article, we explained how to mold the implant and examined its different steps.

Dental clinic of Dr. Hamidreza Afzali

Frequently Asked Questions

Some of the most important questions asked by users are:

What are the steps of implant cover molding?

implant prosthesis molding is done in two ways. In the traditional method, the steps of molding the implant cover are summarized in four steps, which are: choosing a molding tray or tray, choosing the molding material, preparing its paste and placing the paste in the mouth and molding. In the digital method, taking a scan is done in one step.

What are the next steps of implant molding?

After molding the tooth for the implant, it is used to make the implant prosthesis in the dental laboratory. After the prosthesis is made, it is sent to the office and installed on the patient's tooth.

How long is the implant molding time?

The time required for implant molding is usually less than 15 minutes.

Which molding method is more suitable for dental implants?

The best method of molding the implant depends on the angle of the implant base, the condition of the patient's mouth and teeth, the accuracy of the dentist and of course the cost of the dental implant. For this reason, the dentist must examine you first and then tell you which is the best method for you.

Does upper and lower jaw implant molding hurt?

No. The process of molding the implant cover may be a bit inconvenient; But it is not painful.

What are the best implant molding materials?

The implant molding materials and devices are selected depending on the molding technique; But the commonly used molding materials are: polyether, additive silicone, polysulfide and alginate