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Casting Defects
Casting Defects
Introduction
The dental profession has used precision-type precisioncastings for the most part of century. Using the century. lost wax technique, Taggart in 1907 developed a process for making castings used in restoration of prepared teeth. Since the teeth. process did not take into account all the dimensional changes associated with the casting technique, the resultant product did exhibit some problems in terms of dimensional accuracy. accuracy.
Definition
Casting is a fabrication process whereby a totally molten metal is poured into a mold cavity having a desired shape ; upon solidification, the metal assumes the shape of the mold. mold.
Alloy Type
High noble metal
Noble metal
Classification of Alloys for All Metal Restorations , Metal Ceramic Restorations, and Frameworks for Removable Partial Dentures
Alloy Type All Metal Metal Ceramic Removable Partial Dentures Au-Ag-CuAu-Ag-Cu-Pd
High Noble
Au-PtAu-Pt-Pd Au-Pd-Ag(5Au-Pd-Ag(5-12 wt% Ag) AuAu-Pd (no Ag) PdPd-Au (no Ag) Pd-AuPd-Au-Ag PdPd-Ag PdPd-Cu PdPd-Co Pd-GaPd-Ga-Ag Pure Ti Ti-Al-V Ti-AlNi-Cr-MoNi-Cr-Mo-Be Ni-CrNi-Cr-Mo Co-CrCo-Cr-W
Noble
Ag-Pd-AuAg-Pd-Au-Cu AgAg-Pd
Base Metal
Casting Shrinkage
Most metals & alloys, including gold & noble metal alloys, shrink when they change from the liquid to the solid state. state. Shrinkage occurs in 3 stages: stages: The thermal contraction of the liquid metal between the temperature to which it is heated and the liquidus temperature. temperature. The contraction of metal inherent in its change from liquid to the solid state. state. The thermal contraction of the solid metal that occurs down the room temperature. temperature.
Phillips; Science of dental material ; 10th edition
Setting or Hygroscopic expansion of investment material: Hygroscopic low heat technique Thermal expansion of investment: High heat thermal expansion technique
Obtain its compensation expansion almost entirely by burn-out. burnAdditional expansion results from the slight heating of gypsum investments on setting, thus expanding the wax pattern, & the water entering the investment from the wet liner, which adds a small amount of hygroscopic expansion to the normal setting expansion.
INVESTMENT MATERIALS
Gypsum Bonded Investments Phosphate Bonded Investments Ethyl Silicate Bonded Investments
Used in construction of high-fusing base metal highpartial denture alloys. Binder is Silica gel which reverts to silica on heating. This type of investment can be heated to 1090C 1090C -1180C & is compatible with higher fusing alloys.
SPRUE: S : PRUE: A sprue is the channel in a refractory investment mold through which molten metal flows.
Figure 1 Spherical reservoir on the vertical sprue (left), indirect sprue with the horizontal reservoir bar
LINER:
Investment materials have a property of expanding on setting.If the investment was confined on the outside this could cause shrinkage of the of the mould / wax pattern. In order to prevent this effect a flexible split ring or a rubber ring could be used. However, the most commonly used technique is to line the casting ring with either an aluminosilicate liner or a cellulose liner.
Crucible
(melting pot)
Hot zone
Casting mold
CASTING MACHINES
1.
2.
3.
Melting Noble Metal Alloys: There are several methods for melting of alloys, which are combined with the casting methods and appropriate casting machines.: Torch melting, Electrical melting.
CASTING DEFECTS
Defects in casting can be classified as: 1. DISTORTION 2. SURFACE ROUGHNESS & IRREGULARITIES 3. POROSITY 4. DISCOLOURATION 5. INCOMPLETE CASTING OR MISSING DETAIL
Distortion:
CausesCauses Distortion of wax pattern Due to uneven movement of the walls of wax pattern when investment is setting. The gingival margins are forced apart by the mold expansion, whereas the solid occlusal bar of wax resists expansion during the early stage of setting. SolutionsSolutions Proper manipulation of wax & handling of the pattern.
SolutionsSolutions Use of Vacuum Investing Technique Vibrate before & after mixing Use a wetting agent to reduce surface tension of wax pattern. Air dry the wetting agent as excess water will dilute investment, causing irregularities The mold should be heated gradually Heat the ring for sufficient period of time so that the carbonaceous residue is removed Water/powder ratio should be accurate Gypsum bonded investments should never be heated above 700C Alloys submitted to vacuum casting showed decreased surface roughness, compared to alloys submitted to acetylene- oxygen acetyleneflame casting.
Journal of Prosthetic dentistry, 2004, vol 92, 274-277 274-
Porosity:
Porosity of the casting can be spread within the casting and on its surface. The surface porosity adds to surface roughness, but can also be a sing of the internal porosity. The internal porosity could weaken the casting, may cause discoloration if spread to the surface and in extreme cases could lead to a leakage.
Porosities
Solidification Defects
Trapped gases
Residual Air
Localized Shrinkage
Microporosity
Pinhole Porosity
Gas Inclusions
Localized Shrinkage Porosity Causes: Generally caused by incomplete feeding of molten metal during solidification.If the sprue is not properly designed and implemented then it may solidify before the feeding is complete thus preventing a continuous supply of molten alloy. This type of defect usually occurs close to the sprue-casting junction. sprueSolutions: Ryge et al recommended the use of a sprue diameter larger than the thickest cross section of the casting.
Journal of dental rest.; Jan 1981; vol 60; no1; page 59-67 59Phillips; science of dental materials; 10th edition
Macroporosity:
CausesCauses-
Primarily a shrinkage porosity The portion of a cylindrical casting which solidifies last is the low pressure side of the liquid metal close to the free surface of the button, therefore macroporosity always appears in this portion of casting. SolutionSolution Reduce by providing a reservoir contiguous or close to the low pressure end of the liquid metal It may be affected by the closeness of the individual units in a multiple unit casting.
Phillips; Science of dental material ; 10th edition Journal of dental restoration; Jan 1981;vol 60; no. 1;page 59-67 59-
HOT SPOT:SPOT:Localized shrinkage porosity may result from the formation of HOT SPOT when metal impinges on the mold surface so that here the metal remains molten while it solidifies everywhere else. This hot spot causes the local region to freeze last and result in SUCK BACK
POROSITY.
Solutions: Flare the point of sprue attachment Proper placement of sprue Do not use excessively long sprue Use a reservoir Reduce the mold-melt temperature differential mold(i.e. lower the casting temperature by about 30C).
Microporosity:
Microporosity is also caused by solidification shrinkage, but generally happens in fine grain alloys when the solidification is too rapid for the microvoids to segregate. This in turn is caused the mould or casting temperature being too low.
Trapped Gases
1. 2.
Pinhole Porosity Gas Inclusion Porosity Both these porosities are related to the entrapment of gas during solidification. Both are characterized by a spherical contour. Gas inclusion porosities are much higher than pinhole porosities.
SUBSURFACE POROSITY
CauseCauseSimultaneous nucleation of solid grains and gas bubbles at the first moment that the metal freezes at the mold walls SolutionSolution Diminished by controlling the rate at which the molten metal enters the mold Ryge et al reported that subsurface & microporosities are reduced by the use of a sufficiently long sprue & a melt temperature of 100C-150C above the melting point of alloy. 100C According to Leinfelder et al reported that long sprues are preferable for thick castings while short sprues are beneficial for thin castings i.e. the sprue design should be related to the surface area-to-volume ratio of castings. area-to-
Journal of dental rest.; Jan 1981; vol 60; no1; page 59-67 59Phillips; science of dental materials; 10th edition
SolutionSolution Proper burnout An adequate mold & casting temperature. A sufficiently high casting pressure Proper liquid : powder ratio. The thickness of investment between the tip of the pattern and the end of the ring should not be greater than 6mm. Srickland & Sturdevant suggested that sprue design variables have no effect on these porosities; venting, high melt temperatures, proper positioning of the pattern in the ring, choice of investment & the use of reservoir can assist in reducing or eliminating the back pressure porosities.
Journal of dental rest.; Jan 1981; vol 60; no1; page 59-67 59 Phillips; science of dental materials; 10th edition
INCOMPLETE CASTINGS
CausesCauses Inadequate spruing ( sprue former too small) Alloy not hot enough Incomplete elimination of wax residues from the mold Mold too cold Ingate obstructed Insufficient casting force
SolutionsSolutions Use proper size of sprue former Casting temperature should be higher than the liquidus temperature of alloy Ensure that no debris blocks the ingate Use adequate amount of force for casting
DISCOLOURATION
CausesCauses Sulphur contamination of casting causing black castings Contamination with copper during pickling Contamination with mercury SolutionSolution Avoid overheating of investment Avoid use of torch flame as it contains sulphur Avoid use of steel tongs to hold casting during pickling Castings should never be placed with amalgam dies or kept on a table where amalgam scrap is present
References
Phillips; Science of dental materials; 10th edition. Journal of American Dental Association, Leinfelder Association, ;1997 Journal of American Dental Association: 1984 Journal of Dental Restoration; Jan 1981; vol 60 Journal of American Dental Association; 1993 Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry; 1989 Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry; 2004