Dental Materials Assis. Prof. Dr.
Ibrahim Alfahdawi
Lec. 2
Gypsum Products
Introduction
Gypsum is a naturally occurring, white powdery mineral with the chemical
name calcium sulphate dihydrate (CaSO4·2H2O). Gypsum products used in
dentistry are based on calcium sulphate hemihydrates (CaSO4·1/2H2O. Their
main uses are for casts or models, dies and investments.
The International Standards Organization (1998) into five types classifies
them:
Type 1: Impression plaster
Type 2: Plaster
Type 3: Dental stone, die, model
Type 4: Dental stone (die stone) high strength, low expansion
Type 5: Stone, high-strength, high-expansion
Both types of plaster are based on ordinary commercial gypsum plaster
(plaster of Paris), while the three types of stone are based on high-strength
gypsum plasters. Types 4 and 5 stones are commonly referred to as die stones.
Composition
Gypsum products used in dentistry are formed by driving off part of the water
of crystallization from gypsum to form calcium sulphate hemihydrate.
Gypsum → Gypsum product + water
2CaSO4 2H2O → CaSO4 1/2 H2O + 3H2O
Calcium sulphate Calcium sulphate
dihydrate hemihydrate
Applications of gypsum products in dentistry involve the reverse of the above
reaction. The hemihydrate is mixed with water and reacts to form the
dihydrate. CaSO4. 1/2 H2O+ 3H2O→ 2CaSO4. 2H2O the various types of
gypsum product used in dentistry are chemically identical, in that they consist
of calcium sulphate hemihydrate, but they may differ in physical form
depending upon the method used for their manufacture.
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Dental Materials Assis. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Alfahdawi
Dental plaster (plaster of Paris):
Dental plaster is indistinguishable from the white plaster used in orthopedics
for stabilizing fractured limbs during bone healing. A process known as
calcination produces plaster. Gypsum is heated to a temperature of about
120ºC (in open container) in order to drive off part of the water of
crystallization. This produces irregular, porous particles that are sometimes
referred to as β-hemihydrate particles. Overheating the gypsum may cause
further loss of water to form calcium sulphate anhydrite (CaSO4), whilst under
heating produces a significant concentration of residual dihydrate. The
presence of both components has a marked influence upon the setting
characteristics of the resultant plaster.
Dental stone:
Dental stones may be produced method. If gypsum is heated (in closed
container) to about 125ºC under steam pressure in an autoclave a more regular
and less porous hemihydrate is formed.
This is sometimes referred to as a α-hemihydrate. Alternatively, gypsum may
be boiled in a solution of a salt such as CaCl2. This gives a material similar to
that produced by autoclaving but with even less porosity. Manufacturers
normally add small quantities of a dye to dental stones in order that they may
be differentiated from dental plaster, which is white.
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Dental Materials Assis. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Alfahdawi
Manipulation
Plaster and stone powders are mixed with water to produce a workable mix.
Hydration of the hemihydrate then occurs producing the gypsum model or die.
Table gives an indication of the water/ powder (W/P) ratio used for each
material along with the theoretical ratio required to satisfy the chemical
reaction, which occurs. Although a ratio of only 0.186 is required to satisfy
the reaction, such a mix would be too dry and unworkable. In the case of the
more dense material, dental stone, a ratio of about 0.3 is required to produce
a workable mix, whereas for the more porous plaster a higher W/P ratio of
0.55 is required. The excess water is absorbed by the porosities of the plaster
particles. Considerable quantities of air may be incorporated during mixing
and this may lead to porosity within the set material. Air porosity may be
reduced either by vibrating the mix of plaster or stone in order to bring air
bubbles to the surface or by mixing the material mechanically under vacuum,
or both.
The requisite amount of water is added to a moist bowl and the powder added
slowly to the water over about 10 seconds. The mix is allowed to soak for
about another 20 seconds and then mixing/spatulation carried out for around
60 seconds using a circular stirring motion (120 rpm).
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Dental Materials Assis. Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Alfahdawi
Water/powder ratios for gypsum model and die materials.
Water (ml) Powder (g) W/P ratio (ml/g)
Plaster 50–60 100 0.55
Stone 20–35 100 0.30
Theoretical ratio 18.6* 100 0.186
* Sometimes referred to as gauging water.
Two stages can be identified during setting. The first is the time at which the
material develops the properties of a weak solid and will not flow readily. At
this time, often referred to as the initial setting time, it is possible to carve
away excess material with a knife. The materials continue to develop strength
for some time after initial setting and eventually reach a stage when the
models or dies are strong and hard enough to be worked upon. The time taken
to reach this stage is referred to as the final setting time; although this term is
misleading since it implies that, the material has reached its ultimate strength.
This may not be reached until several hours after mixing. The setting reaction
is exothermic, the maximum temperature being reached during the stage when
final hardening occurs. If the material is placed in water at the initial set stage,
considerably more expansion occurs during setting. This increased expansion
is called hygroscopic expansion and is sometimes used to increase the setting
expansion of gypsum-bonded investment materials.
Increasing the W/P ratio retards setting by decreasing the concentration of
crystallization nuclei. Increasing mixing time has the opposite effect. This
accelerates setting by breaking up dihydrate crystals during the early stages of
setting, thus producing more nuclei on which crystallization can be initiated.
If exposure of the powder continues, surface hydration will form a layer of
gypsum on each particle, hindering the access of water to the hemihydrate,
and the subsequent setting rate is retarded. If exposure continues over a long
period, eventually the material will not set properly, because insufficient
unreacted hemihydrate remains to form a coherent set mass.
