The Effect of Silver-Zinc Zeolite Incorporation on Some Properties of Condensation Silicone Impression Material

Abstract

Background: elastomeric impression materials are indicated when a high degree of accuracy is required, due to their excellent properties like details reproduction, dimensional stability and tear strength but with main two disadvantages those are their hydrophilicity as well as the absence of antibacterial activity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of incorporation of 0.5% wt Ag-Zn zeolite into condensation silicone through the following tests; setting time, dimensional stability, reproduction of details, wettability, and hardness .Materials and methods: one hundred specimens were constructed of condensation silicone, divided into two groups for the first 50 specimens one0.5% by wt Ag -Zn zeolite was added, keeping the other fifty specimens without addition. Then each group further subdivided into five subgroups according to the conducted test. The tests performed were; setting time, dimensional stability, reproduction of details, hardness and wettability.Results: A statistically non-significant effect on the setting time and reproduction of details tests was observed, combined with a highly significant increase of wettability of condensation silicone after incorporation of 0.5% wt Ag-Zn zeolite with non-significant increase of dimensional change of condensation silicone following incorporation of 0.5% wt Ag-Zn zeolite. Hardness test results shoed statistically significant increase following the addition of Ag-Zn zeolite.Conclusion: Ag-Zn zeolite incorporated into condensation silicone, improved wettability which determine the extent to which an impression material replicates the structures of the oral cavity and production of bubble-free gypsum die. It also showed a statistically significant increase in the hardness of condensation silicone impression material, and had no effect on setting time, reproduction of details and dimensional stability.