Surface area measurements of upper dental cast with different final impressions

Abstract

Background : surface area anatomy is a proportional point to the retention of complete denture, in past there wasno quantitative method to evaluate the surface area, nowadays the size and shape of maxillary arch is measuredby different electronically and mathematical devices. A study was therefore, undertaken to measure surface areaof upper dental cast that was taken by different final impressions.Materials and methods: twenty patients were examined. All of them had a healthy palate with no singe of injury,trauma, or deformity. Casts were taken by three different final impressions; zinc oxide, additional silicon, and polyether. And two different devices were used; the computerized one and the Aluminum foil measure. Age, sex, andshape of upper dental arch were also evaluated.Results: the results of this study showed that the use of different methods to measure the surface area of upperdental cast had a significant difference between the two different measurements, while there was no difference inthe measurements between the different final materials. Age variable showed more significant difference betweenthe first and second method than sex variable.Conclusion: data collected in the present investigation showed a highly significant difference in measurementsbetween the computerized method and the direct foil method. Zinc oxide, silicon and poly ether materials showedno significant differences in readings