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Impression Taking Techniques for Fit-to-Partial Cases
Impression Taking Techniques for Fit-to-Partial Cases

Learn about two common approaches for taking fit-to-partial impressions in dentistry.

Ray Alde avatar
Written by Ray Alde
Updated over 8 months ago

1. Pickup Impression with Cast Partial Denture

Pros:

  • Better fit of the cast partial denture on the model.

  • Improved crown fitting, leading to fewer chairside adjustments.

Cons:

  • Difficulty in capturing an accurate impression.

  • Challenges in removing both tray and cast partial denture simultaneously.

  • Inability to reuse the impression due to the need for cutting open after model pouring.

Technique:

  1. Select the appropriate size impression tray.

  2. Remove the cast partial denture from the patient's mouth.

  3. Inject light body around the prepped tooth while filling the tray with heavy body.

  4. Place the cast partial denture in the patient's mouth.

  5. Immediately insert the impression tray with heavy body.

  6. After setting, remove the tray with the cast partial denture.

  7. Send the pickup impression to the lab for fit-to-partial fabrication.

2. Impression without Cast Partial Denture

Pros:

  • Simplified impression-taking procedure.

  • Reusability of the impression tray for pouring multiple models.

Cons:

  • Potential seating issues when placing the cast partial denture on the model.

  • Increased likelihood of chairside adjustments for crowns and clasps.

Technique:

  1. Take the impression similar to a regular prepped tooth impression.

  2. Send both the cast partial denture and impression to the lab for fabrication.

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