Taking precise impressions in your dental office

Despite the advent of digital impressions, traditional impressions still remain a staple in most dental offices today. And fortunately for dentists, the impression materials on the market continue to improve.

Today’s materials exhibit remarkable strength, allowing them to resist tearing upon removal. Many are designed to set quickly, giving clinicians precise impressions in a fraction of the normal time. What’s more, the flowability of numerous impression materials enables them to stay in position without running or dripping during the process.

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We’ve compiled some of the top impression materials on the market as well as some popular impression trays and dispensers. If you find yourself struggling when it comes time to take traditional impressions, then consider adding one or more of these products to your armamentarium.

Click through the slides to see the products.

Flexitime^®

• Flexitime^® is said to combine more than 10 years of market experience with the outstanding performance and features of a precision impression material.
• The outcome is an innovative A-silicone, which reportedly guarantees precision as well as customized working procedures.
• A unique Advanced ThermaSense chemistry is engineered to react to the warmer temperatures in a patient’s mouth and begin setting when the tray is placed in the mouth.

Kulzer
800-431-1785  |  kulzerus.com

PerfectIM^® Systems

• PerfectIM^® Systems is said to offer accurate final impressions of subgingival margins without use of retraction cord, gingival excision or application of hemostatic agents.
• This two-step vinyl polysiloxane impression system is designed to eliminate the time-consuming task of packing retraction cord and therefore any possible post-traumatic discomfort.
• These materials are cartridge dispensed and reportedly radiopaque, hydrophobic, thixotropic (except SnoWhite), tasteless and odorless.

J. MORITA USA
888-566-7482  |  morita.com/usa

3M™ Impregum™ Super Quick Polyether Impression Material

• The new 3M™ Impregum™ Super Quick Polyether Impression Material - the first true superfast polyether - is said to combine the outstanding performance and reliability of a polyether with the speed of a VPS.
• With Impregum Super Quick Polyether, dental practitioners will reportedly benefit from the well-known and trusted characteristics of a polyether impression material: hydrophilicity, a unique flow behavior and a consistent flow throughout the entire working time.  
• A 45-second working time and two-minute setting time allow for faster impressions in less complex cases.

3M™
888-364-3577  |  3m.com/ImpregumSQ

NoCord™ VPS

• NoCord™ is reportedly the first impressioning system to incorporate a hemostatic agent into the wash material, controlling bleeding and fluid flow.
• The unique setting profile of MegaBody™ tray material is designed to help displace the gingiva, expand the sulcus and drive the wash for complete marginal capture.
• With compromised tissue, NoCord is said to provide the ability to create sulcular expansion without using a packer and risking epithelial or gingival damage.  

Centrix
800-235-5862  |  centrixdental.com

Triple Tray^®

• Award-winning for more than a decade, Premier® Triple Tray® is said to be the profession’s most trusted name for accurate dual-arch impressions.
• Triple Tray is designed to simultaneously capture a master impression, counter impression and bite registration.
• The dual-arch tray benefits the patient by allowing the impression to be taken in a closed position, making the patient comfortable and at ease.

Premier Dental Products Company
888-670-6100  |  premierdentalco.com

AFFINIS

• AFFINIS is said to be a fast and innovative mixed material with an affinity to moist tooth structure and tissue.
• Despite its combination of additives, which are capable of breaking material structures, AFFINIS reportedly displays a very low barrier to flow. The mixed material is thixotropic enough not to drip off the preparation.
• Due to its synergistic and extremely active surfactant system, AFFINIS is designed to display a fast and outstanding wetting by water of the set impression.

COLTENE
330-916-8800  |  coltene.com

Aquasil^® Ultra+ Smart Wetting^® Impression Material

• Aquasil^® Ultra+ Smart Wetting^® Impression Material reportedly provides state-of-the-art intraoral hydrophilicity and intraoral tear strength.
• The material is designed to avoid trapping fluid from the moment it’s syringed in a moist, humid environment, helping to alleviate voids and bubbles at or near the margin.
• Patented technology is said to deliver polyfunctional bonds for the highest intraoral tear strength on the market.

Dentsply Sirona
844-848-0137  |  dentsplysirona.com

Reflection™ VPS Impression Material

• The Reflection™ Super Hydrophilic Impression system is based on an addition-curing vinyl silicone formula delivered in automixing dispensing 50mL cartridges, (light, medium, monophase and heavy viscosities), automixing dispensing 380mL cartridges, (monophase and heavy regular set viscosities) and hand kneaded putty (soft and firm) formulations.
• Reflection products are designed to stay in position without running, slumping or dripping during the working process, yet they will flow freely as soon as pressure is applied upon seating the impression tray.

Patterson Dental
800-328-5536  |  pattersondental.com

EXAFAST™ NDS

• EXAFAST™ NDS is a quick-setting impression material designed to set in the mouth in 90 seconds, giving clinicians smooth, precise impressions in a fraction of the normal time for other materials.
• The short cure time is said to minimize errors due to patient movement but provide up to 60 seconds of working time, so doctors aren’t rushed during preparation.
• The material is engineered to not shrink or become distorted, allowing dentists to obtain consistent models from the same impression for up to two weeks.

GC America
800-323-7063  |  gcamerica.com

ThermTray1™

• The ThermTray1™ is designed to create a guide to correct centric occlusion, and the wider walls accommodate larger, wider arches or third molar interference.
• The unique design is engineered to adapt to any anatomy and produce absolute rigidity with no spring-back distortion.
• The quadrant tray requires only 17 milliliters of impression material, reportedly saving as much as 70 percent.

Advantage Dental Products
800-388-6319  |  advantagedentalinc.com

PowerMix™ Automatic VPS Dispenser

• The all-new PowerMix™ Automatic VPS Dispenser is said to deliver perfectly mixed, void-free impression material with the press of a button.
• Dentists can reportedly fill a full-arch impression tray in 10 seconds or less with PowerMix.
• Weighing two pounds with a full cartridge, PowerMix is easily transportable from one operatory to the next.

CLINICIAN’S CHOICE
800-265-3444  |  clinicianschoice.com

Honigum Pro

• From the makers of Luxatemp and LuxaCore Z-Dual, Honigum Pro is reportedly the only VPS that goes where you want it, stays where you place it and has the unique ability to thin under load.
• Honigum Pro’s true thixotropic formula is designed to not slump or run but remain stable where you place it.
• It’s also said to exhibit remarkable strength to resist tearing upon removal, preventing the need for retakes.

DMG America
800-662-6383  |  dmg-america.com