A simple open-tray implant impression technique.

摘要

Obtaining an accurate impression of the implant position and surrounding hard and soft tissues is paramount to fabricating an esthetic and biologically functional definitive restoration. There are 2 primary techniques for registering the positions of dental implants, the closed-tray and open-tray impression techniques. Each of these impression techniques has variations.This article describes an open-tray technique for impressing implants that is inexpensive, clean, and easy to perform with materials commonly found in a restorative dental practice. The soft boxing wax is easy to apply to the impression tray and easily peels off. It confines the Blu-Mousse (Parkell, Inc, Edgewood, NY) used around the implant copings and allows the guide pins to protrude through the tray. Blu-Mousse is preferred around the impression copings because of its rigidity. The Blu-Mousse is placed in the impression tray last because it polymerizes in 2 minutes, whereas most vinyl polysilox-ane impression materials polymerize in approximately 5 to 6 minutes.Other open-tray impression protocols recommend wiping off the excess impression material that extrudes through the hole in the tray with a gloved finger or injecting impression plaster through the hole(s) in the tray to fill the remaining void. This may be messy to accomplish. Additionally, the powder on some gloves may inhibit the polymerization of vinyl polysiloxane (VPS) impression materials.9 Wax placed over the hole in the tray prevents contact of the impression material with the gloves.