Influence of Different Wax Hardening Agents on Surface Roughness of Refractory Cast Investment Materials

Abstract

Background: Phosphate-bonded investments produce a refractory cast model with rough surface and undesirable properties. Dental Surface hardening agents are then applied to refractory investment materials to enhance its properties.
 Purpose: compare and evaluate the effects of different dental cast hardening agents (Bees wax, Carnauba wax, and Ceresin wax) on surface roughness of refractory model investment material. 
 Approach: 30 specimens were constructed from commercially available phosphate bonded investment material. Specimens were subjected to a roughness test before dipping in handing agents, then divided into three groups according to the type of wax in which they were dipped. (10 specimens for each type). Surface roughness test was done by a profilometer where three readings were taken for all the specimens' surfaces randomly. The mean was then extracted for the roughness values before and after dipping in waxes. 
 Results: the mean and standard deviation were tabulated and statistically analyzed using students T- test. The roughness values were decreased after the specimens were dipped in waxes (P value < 0.001 HS highly significant).
 Conclusion: The dipping process with hardening agents has significantly improved the surface roughness of the specimens' investment materials.