Concepts, techniques and materials used for complete denture impressions by dental house officers

ABSTRACT

To report data relating to concepts, techniques and materials used by dental house-officers of local dental institutes. With the use of a questionnaire, data relating to concepts, techniques and material used for edentulous impressions were collected from 140 house officers of 10 local dental institutes of these, 121 I house officers retuned the completed questionnaires, yielding a response rate of 86.4%. 96.7% followed the 2-step impression concept of preliminary and final impression. Some 71.9% preferred impression compound only as preliminary impression material. 94.2% used special trays for secondary impressions. Some 43.8% were making them in self-curing denture-base acrylic resin. Border-molding, prior to final impression was preferred by 95.9%, out of which 86.8% were using low fusing impression compound. Vent-holes to allow escape of excess impression material were incorporated by 40.5%, of which 38.0% favored two or more vent-holes. Some 95.9% used zinc-oxide-eugenol alone as the final impression material. Recording of the reline-impression using the open-mouth technique at trial-stage, was preferred by 63.6%. Very few knew about the special impression techniques of functional, sectional, admix, window or plaster-stent impression. Statistical analyses of the data, using chi-square test showed insignificant association between the responses from the graduates working in the public sector and private sector dental institutions. Concerns and issues regarding the non-use of latest impression materials and techniques related to complete denture impressions and a lack of understanding of the related concepts of participants were observed. Strategies for rectification of these are emphasized