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Background: Success in dental casting restorations for fixed partial dentures (FPDs) depends on the castability. Castability is described as the ability of an alloy to faithfully reproduce sharp detail and fine margins of a wax pattern. The goal of a prosthodontist is to provide the patient with restorations that fit precisely. Regardless of the alloy used for casting, the casting technique should yield a casted alloy, which should possess sufficient mass, surface hardness and minimal porosity after casting. Materials and Methods: Twenty patterns for casting were made from three-dimensional printed resin pattern simulating a 3 unit FPD and casted using modified sprue technique. Later test samples were cemented sequentially on stainless steel model using pressure indicating paste and evaluated for vertical marginal gap in eight predetermined reference areas. Marginal gap were measured in microns using Video Measuring System (VMS2010F-CIP Corporation, Korea). A portion of the axial wall of the cast abutments depicting premolar and molar were sectioned and embedded in acrylic resin and tested for micro hardness using Reichert Polyvar 2 Met Microhardness tester (Reichert, Austria) and porosity using Quantimet Image Analyzer (Quantimet Corporation London, England). Results: The results obtained for marginal gap, micro hardness, and porosity of all test samples were tabulated, descriptive statistics were calculated and the values were found to be within the clinically acceptable range. Conclusion: The new sprue technique can be an alternative and convenient method for casting which would minimize metal wasting and less time consuming. However, further studies with same technique on various parameters are to be conducted for its broad acceptance.

Introduction: Abundant resources and techniques have been used for complete coverage crown fabrication. Conventional investing and casting procedures for phosphate-bonded investments require a 2- to 4-h procedure before completion. Accelerated casting techniques have been used, but may not result in castings with matching marginal accuracy. Aims and Objectives: The study measured the marginal gap and determined the clinical acceptability of single cast copings invested in a phosphate-bonded investment with the use of conventional and accelerated methods. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty cast coping samples were fabricated using conventional and accelerated methods, with three finish lines: Chamfer, shoulder and shoulder with bevel. Sixty copings were prepared with each technique. Each coping was examined with a stereomicroscope at four predetermined sites and measurements of marginal gaps were documented for each. Statistical Analysis: A master chart was prepared for all the data and was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version. Evidence of marginal gap was then evaluated by t-test. Analysis of variance and Post-hoc analysis were used to compare two groups as well as to make comparisons between three subgroups . Results: Measurements recorded showed no statistically significant difference between conventional and accelerated groups. Conclusion: Among the three marginal designs studied, shoulder with bevel showed the best marginal fit with conventional as well as accelerated casting techniques. Accelerated casting technique could be a vital alternative to the time-consuming conventional casting technique. The marginal fit between the two casting techniques showed no statistical difference.

Aim: This in vitro study evaluates the influence of marginal sealing methods in composite restorations with different adhesive systems submitted to mechanical load. Materials and Methods: Eighty bovine incisor crowns were embedded in Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) molds with the buccal surface exposed, where cavities (4mm x 4mm x 3mm) were made. Samples had the adhesive systems, Single Bond or Clearfil SE Bond, applied according to the manufacturer′s recommendations. The cavities were filled with a Z-250 composite according to the restoration technique (bulk filling or three increments) and photoactivation (conventional, soft start, pulsatile light or light-emitting diode [LED]). The samples were duplicated with epoxy resin for scanning electron microscopy observations. Samples were also submitted to mechanical load (200,000 cycles; 2 Hz) and new replicas were made. Results: The results, in percentages, were submitted to ANOVA followed by Tukey′s test (P < 0.05). There was statistical difference between the cycle group (23.84%) and the non cycle group (18.63%). Comparing the restoration technique, there was no statistical difference between bulk filling (19.62%) and three increments (22.84%). There was no statistical difference among the groups: Pulsatile light (24.38%), soft start (22.75%), LED (21.47%) or conventional (16.34%). Furthermore, there were no statistical differences between the adhesive systems: Clearfil SE Bond (21.32%) and Single Bond (20.83%). Conclusions: The photoactivation methods, the restorative techniques and the adhesive systems did not influence gap formation.

Introduction: Abundant resources and techniques have been used for complete coverage crown fabrication. Conventional investing and casting procedures for phosphate-bonded investments require a 2- to 4-h procedure before completion. Accelerated casting techniques have been used, but may not result in castings with matching marginal accuracy. Aims and Objectives: The study measured the marginal gap and determined the clinical acceptability of single cast copings invested in a phosphate-bonded investment with the use of conventional and accelerated methods. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty cast coping samples were fabricated using conventional and accelerated methods, with three finish lines: Chamfer, shoulder and shoulder with bevel. Sixty copings were prepared with each technique. Each coping was examined with a stereomicroscope at four predetermined sites and measurements of marginal gaps were documented for each. Statistical Analysis: A master chart was prepared for all the data and was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version. Evidence of marginal gap was then evaluated by t-test. Analysis of variance and Post-hoc analysis were used to compare two groups as well as to make comparisons between three subgroups. Results: Measurements recorded showed no statistically significant difference between conventional and accelerated groups. Conclusion: Among the three marginal designs studied, shoulder with bevel showed the best marginal fit with conventional as well as accelerated casting techniques. Accelerated casting technique could be a vital alternative to the time-consuming conventional casting technique. The marginal fit between the two casting techniques showed no statistical difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Success in dental casting restorations for fixed partial dentures (FPDs) depends on the castability. Castability is described as the ability of an alloy to faithfully reproduce sharp detail and fine margins of a wax pattern. The goal of a prosthodontist is to provide the patient with restorations that fit precisely. Regardless of the alloy used for casting, the casting technique should yield a casted alloy, which should possess sufficient mass, surface hardness and minimal porosity after casting. Materials and Methods: Twenty patterns for casting were made from three-dimensional printed resin pattern simulating a 3 unit FPD and casted using modified sprue technique. Later test samples were cemented sequentially on stainless steel model using pressure indicating paste and evaluated for vertical marginal gap in eight predetermined reference areas. Marginal gap were measured in microns using Video Measuring System (VMS2010F-CIP Corporation, Korea). A portion of the axial wall of the cast abutments depicting premolar and molar were sectioned and embedded in acrylic resin and tested for micro hardness using Reichert Polyvar 2 Met Microhardness tester (Reichert, Austria) and porosity using Quantimet Image Analyzer (Quantimet Corporation London, England). Results: The results obtained for marginal gap, micro hardness, and porosity of all test samples were tabulated, descriptive statistics were calculated and the values were found to be within the clinically acceptable range. Conclusion: The new sprue technique can be an alternative and convenient method for casting which would minimize metal wasting and less time consuming. However, further studies with same technique on various parameters are to be conducted for its broad acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Conventional casting techniques following the manufacturers' recommendations are time consuming. Accelerated casting techniques have been reported, but their accuracy with base metal alloys has not been adequately studied. Aim: We measured the vertical marginal gap of nickel-chromium copings made by conventional and accelerated casting techniques and determined the clinical acceptability of the cast copings in this study. Settings and Design: Experimental design, in vitro study, lab settings. Materials and Methods: Ten copings each were cast by conventional and accelerated casting techniques. All copings were identical, only their mold preparation schedules differed. Microscopic measurements were recorded at ×80 magnification on the perpendicular to the axial wall at four predetermined sites. The marginal gap values were evaluated by paired t test. Results: The mean marginal gap by conventional technique (34.02 µm) is approximately 10 µm lesser than that of accelerated casting technique (44.62 µm). As the P value is less than 0.0001, there is highly significant difference between the two techniques with regard to vertical marginal gap. Conclusion: The accelerated casting technique is time saving and the marginal gap measured was within the clinically acceptable limits and could be an alternative to time-consuming conventional techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Conventional casting techniques following the manufacturers′ recommendations are time consuming. Accelerated casting techniques have been reported, but their accuracy with base metal alloys has not been adequately studied. Aim: We measured the vertical marginal gap of nickel-chromium copings made by conventional and accelerated casting techniques and determined the clinical acceptability of the cast copings in this study. Settings and Design: Experimental design, in vitro study, lab settings. Materials and Methods: Ten copings each were cast by conventional and accelerated casting techniques. All copings were identical, only their mold preparation schedules differed. Microscopic measurements were recorded at ×80 magnification on the perpendicular to the axial wall at four predetermined sites. The marginal gap values were evaluated by paired t test. Results: The mean marginal gap by conventional technique (34.02 μm) is approximately 10 μm lesser than that of accelerated casting technique (44.62 μm). As the P value is less than 0.0001, there is highly significant difference between the two techniques with regard to vertical marginal gap. Conclusion: The accelerated casting technique is time saving and the marginal gap measured was within the clinically acceptable limits and could be an alternative to time-consuming conventional techniques.