n instrument for smoothing f a wax pattern 6. Roger
Troendle,
DDS,
MS,a
and
Karen
B. Troendle,
the detailed
occlus
DDSb
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Tex. A smooth wax pattern is imperative to reduce the polishing time casting. The detailed occlusal anatomy is often the most difficult pattern to smooth. This article describes a procedure for making be used to smooth the detailed anatomy of a wax pattern. It also use the device. (J PROSTHET DENT 1992;68:851-3.)
smooth wax pattern reduces the amount of time needed to polish the final casting. Dental technicians and dentists alike have used various procedures for flaming a wax pattern to ensure its smoothness. The procedure of passing the wax pattern through a flame is adequate for the gross smoothing of the axial surfaces of a wax pattern. Another method is to smooth the pattern with a flame torch such as tbe Hanau torch (Teledyne Hanau, Buffalo, N.Y.) instead of passing it through a flame. The warm air expressed from the heated tip of a chip blower is useful where fine smoothing is required, for example, in the anatomy on the occlusal surface of the wax pattern. However, it is not as useful for gross smoothing of the axial surfaces.
of the subsequent portion of the wax a device that can describes how to
The purpose of this article is twofold: (I) To show how to make a tip for an alcohol torch, which can be used for smoothing the finest of details, and (2) to explain how to use this new instrument in the development of a wax pattern.
%linical Associate Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry. bAssociate Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry. 10/l/49012 2. The %2 and Ms inch diameter tubing used to make smoothing tip.
Fig.
Fig. 1. Materials. A, Alcohol torch; B, box for torch; C, silver solder; D, flux for solder; E, UZ inch diameter copper tubing; F, %6 inch copper tubing; G, 22-gauge needle 1% inches long. THE JOURNAL
OF lPROSTHETIC
DENTISTRY
3. The %z inch diameter Buffalo torch.
Fig.
tubing
fitted
over tip of
851
TROENDLE
AND
TROENDLE
Fig. 6. Completed tip fitted on alcohol torch.
Fig. 4. The Hs inch diameter tubing fitted into % inch diameter tubing.
Fig. 7. Twenty-seven-gauge
needle fitted
into tip for
even finer detailed smoothing.
Fig. 5. Soldering tubing together with silver solder.
MAKING Materials
THE SMOOTHING (Fig. 1)
TIP
1. One piece of Mz inch diameter copper fuel-line tubing (KTS Engineering, Chicago, Ill.), approximately 3 inches long 2. One piece of Ms inch copper fuel-line tubing (KTS Engineering, Chicago, Ill.), approximately 3% inches long 3. B-D 22-gauge hypodermic needle, 1% inches long (Becton Dickinson Co., Rutherford, N.J.) 4. Orthodontic silver solder (Great Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd., Tonawanda, N. Y.) 5. Soldering flux (Unitek Corporation, Monrovia, Calif.) 6. Buffalo alcohol torch (Buffalo Dental Manufacturing Co., Syosett, N. Y.)
Procedure 1. Cut a piece of the 15 mm (Fig. 2).
852
%2
inch diameter tubing to a length of
Fig. 8. Coping on die and margin marked with wax pencil.
2. Cut a piece of the Ms inch diameter tubing to a length of 18 mm (Fig. 2). 3. Fit the Uz inch diameter tubing over the orifice of the Buffalo torch (Fig. 3).
NOVEMBER
1992
VOLUME
68
NUMBER
5
lNSTRUMENT
TO SMOOTH
Fig. 9. Smoothing torch.
ANATOMY
OF WAX
axial surface with
PATTERN
flame of alcohol
Fit the Ms inch diameter tubing inside the Yz inch diameter tubing (Fig. 4). Remove the two pieces of assembled tubing and solder them together with the silver solder (Fig. 5). The torch may be used as is for gross smoothing, or the two pieces of copper tubing may be placed over the tip for more refined smoothing (Fig. 6). For an even smaller flame, to smooth the finest details of the occlusal anatomy, an even smaller ori.fice may be used. Cut the hub off of the 22-gauge needle and insert it into the 416inch tubmg (Fig. 7). The tubing is placed over the tip of the alcohol torch, the flame of the torch heats the copper tubing, and when the alcohol bottle is squeezed it blows warm air from the tip, which can be used to smooth the wax pattern in any detail desired.
Fig. 10. Light warming of complete occlusai surface with hot air expressed from new tip.
Fig.
New instrument pattern
1. Mount the master casts in an articulator and remove the die. 2. Place die spacer on the die and lubricate the die. Mark the margin with a red crayon pencil (Fig. 8). 3. Wax the axial contours of the pattern and smooth it with the flame from the tip of the Buffalo alcohol torch without the attachment (Fig. 9). 4. Place the die in the master cast and lubricate the teeth of the opposing cast. Heat the occlusal surface of the pattern with the Buffalo torch with the newly constructed warming tip attached. 5. Close the casts in the articulator into centric occlusal contact, but do not use enough force to break the pattern. When the occlusal surfaces of the opposing teeth on the casts do not contact when light pressure is applied, repeat steps 4 and 5 until they do. While the wax is still soft, move the occluded casts into right and left lateral excursions. 6. With a small cleoid instrument, remove excess wax and develop the anatomy to coincide with the existing dentition as reproduced on the casts. 7. Use the torch with the new tips in place to smooth the carved anatomy of the wax pattern (Fig. 10). 8. With the tip in place, lightly warm the entire occlusal
TEE
JOURNAL
11. Completed wax pattern.
used to develop a wax
OF PROSTHETIC
DENTISTRY
surface and close the articulator to make imprints of the opposing cast teeth in the warmed wax. 9. Remove the excess wax with a cleoidldiscoid hand instrument and break up the broad contacts. 10. Smooth the wax with the flame of the smallest tip to finish the pattern (Fig. 11). 11. Steps 8 through 10 often need to be repeated until the occlusion is developed to point contacts and the anatomy is smooth.
SUMMARY This article describes a procedure for making a tip for the Buffalo alcohol torch to smooth the detailed anatomy of a wax pattern. The use of the tip is also described. The small tip can also be used to smooth the wax around the gingiva of teeth in festooning dentures. Reprint
requests to:
DR.G.ROGERTROENDLE UNIVER~ITYOFTEXASHEALTHSCIENCECENTER ATSANANTONIODENTALSCHOOL ~~O~FLOMCURLDR. SANANTONIO,TX 78284
853
Troendle,
DDS,
MS,a
and
Karen
B. Troendle,
the detailed
occlus
DDSb
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Tex. A smooth wax pattern is imperative to reduce the polishing time casting. The detailed occlusal anatomy is often the most difficult pattern to smooth. This article describes a procedure for making be used to smooth the detailed anatomy of a wax pattern. It also use the device. (J PROSTHET DENT 1992;68:851-3.)
smooth wax pattern reduces the amount of time needed to polish the final casting. Dental technicians and dentists alike have used various procedures for flaming a wax pattern to ensure its smoothness. The procedure of passing the wax pattern through a flame is adequate for the gross smoothing of the axial surfaces of a wax pattern. Another method is to smooth the pattern with a flame torch such as tbe Hanau torch (Teledyne Hanau, Buffalo, N.Y.) instead of passing it through a flame. The warm air expressed from the heated tip of a chip blower is useful where fine smoothing is required, for example, in the anatomy on the occlusal surface of the wax pattern. However, it is not as useful for gross smoothing of the axial surfaces.
of the subsequent portion of the wax a device that can describes how to
The purpose of this article is twofold: (I) To show how to make a tip for an alcohol torch, which can be used for smoothing the finest of details, and (2) to explain how to use this new instrument in the development of a wax pattern.
%linical Associate Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry. bAssociate Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry. 10/l/49012 2. The %2 and Ms inch diameter tubing used to make smoothing tip.
Fig.
Fig. 1. Materials. A, Alcohol torch; B, box for torch; C, silver solder; D, flux for solder; E, UZ inch diameter copper tubing; F, %6 inch copper tubing; G, 22-gauge needle 1% inches long. THE JOURNAL
OF lPROSTHETIC
DENTISTRY
3. The %z inch diameter Buffalo torch.
Fig.
tubing
fitted
over tip of
851
TROENDLE
AND
TROENDLE
Fig. 6. Completed tip fitted on alcohol torch.
Fig. 4. The Hs inch diameter tubing fitted into % inch diameter tubing.
Fig. 7. Twenty-seven-gauge
needle fitted
into tip for
even finer detailed smoothing.
Fig. 5. Soldering tubing together with silver solder.
MAKING Materials
THE SMOOTHING (Fig. 1)
TIP
1. One piece of Mz inch diameter copper fuel-line tubing (KTS Engineering, Chicago, Ill.), approximately 3 inches long 2. One piece of Ms inch copper fuel-line tubing (KTS Engineering, Chicago, Ill.), approximately 3% inches long 3. B-D 22-gauge hypodermic needle, 1% inches long (Becton Dickinson Co., Rutherford, N.J.) 4. Orthodontic silver solder (Great Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd., Tonawanda, N. Y.) 5. Soldering flux (Unitek Corporation, Monrovia, Calif.) 6. Buffalo alcohol torch (Buffalo Dental Manufacturing Co., Syosett, N. Y.)
Procedure 1. Cut a piece of the 15 mm (Fig. 2).
852
%2
inch diameter tubing to a length of
Fig. 8. Coping on die and margin marked with wax pencil.
2. Cut a piece of the Ms inch diameter tubing to a length of 18 mm (Fig. 2). 3. Fit the Uz inch diameter tubing over the orifice of the Buffalo torch (Fig. 3).
NOVEMBER
1992
VOLUME
68
NUMBER
5
lNSTRUMENT
TO SMOOTH
Fig. 9. Smoothing torch.
ANATOMY
OF WAX
axial surface with
PATTERN
flame of alcohol
Fit the Ms inch diameter tubing inside the Yz inch diameter tubing (Fig. 4). Remove the two pieces of assembled tubing and solder them together with the silver solder (Fig. 5). The torch may be used as is for gross smoothing, or the two pieces of copper tubing may be placed over the tip for more refined smoothing (Fig. 6). For an even smaller flame, to smooth the finest details of the occlusal anatomy, an even smaller ori.fice may be used. Cut the hub off of the 22-gauge needle and insert it into the 416inch tubmg (Fig. 7). The tubing is placed over the tip of the alcohol torch, the flame of the torch heats the copper tubing, and when the alcohol bottle is squeezed it blows warm air from the tip, which can be used to smooth the wax pattern in any detail desired.
Fig. 10. Light warming of complete occlusai surface with hot air expressed from new tip.
Fig.
New instrument pattern
1. Mount the master casts in an articulator and remove the die. 2. Place die spacer on the die and lubricate the die. Mark the margin with a red crayon pencil (Fig. 8). 3. Wax the axial contours of the pattern and smooth it with the flame from the tip of the Buffalo alcohol torch without the attachment (Fig. 9). 4. Place the die in the master cast and lubricate the teeth of the opposing cast. Heat the occlusal surface of the pattern with the Buffalo torch with the newly constructed warming tip attached. 5. Close the casts in the articulator into centric occlusal contact, but do not use enough force to break the pattern. When the occlusal surfaces of the opposing teeth on the casts do not contact when light pressure is applied, repeat steps 4 and 5 until they do. While the wax is still soft, move the occluded casts into right and left lateral excursions. 6. With a small cleoid instrument, remove excess wax and develop the anatomy to coincide with the existing dentition as reproduced on the casts. 7. Use the torch with the new tips in place to smooth the carved anatomy of the wax pattern (Fig. 10). 8. With the tip in place, lightly warm the entire occlusal
TEE
JOURNAL
11. Completed wax pattern.
used to develop a wax
OF PROSTHETIC
DENTISTRY
surface and close the articulator to make imprints of the opposing cast teeth in the warmed wax. 9. Remove the excess wax with a cleoidldiscoid hand instrument and break up the broad contacts. 10. Smooth the wax with the flame of the smallest tip to finish the pattern (Fig. 11). 11. Steps 8 through 10 often need to be repeated until the occlusion is developed to point contacts and the anatomy is smooth.
SUMMARY This article describes a procedure for making a tip for the Buffalo alcohol torch to smooth the detailed anatomy of a wax pattern. The use of the tip is also described. The small tip can also be used to smooth the wax around the gingiva of teeth in festooning dentures. Reprint
requests to:
DR.G.ROGERTROENDLE UNIVER~ITYOFTEXASHEALTHSCIENCECENTER ATSANANTONIODENTALSCHOOL ~~O~FLOMCURLDR. SANANTONIO,TX 78284
853
