A comparative study of the ability to give surface details and flowability of measurement materials in different fluidity and chemical structures

During prosthetic dentistry, dental impression materials might vary a lot. In this study, dental impression materials with different chemical structures and fluidity levels are analyzed and compared in order to contribute to creating a clinical guide to use case-based unique impression materials. In our study, low fluid, medium fluid and very fluid forms of polyvinyl siloxane impression material, low fluid, medium fluid and very fluid forms of polyether impression material and medium fluid and very fluid forms of type c silicone impression material were used. From each group, a total of 160 samples were obtained from the shark fin tester and from the surface detail mold. The shark fin tester was taken from a fixed distance. Areas from the extreme end of the samples to the point where the shark fin starts are measured using the image processing program Image J. Sections of the samples obtained from the surface detail mold were taken and images of 25,50 and 75 µm grooves were obtained in light microscope. In the obtained images, the distance from the most extreme point of the groove to the bottom of the groove was measured using the image processing program Image J. The data were analyzed by Independent Samples t Test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Post Hoc Bonferroni Test. The statistical results obtained from the surface detail analysis were significant at a value of 50 microns between medium fluidity and 25 µm values between the less fluid groups compared to their flowability. (P <0.05). No significant difference was found between 75 and 50 µm values in low fluid groups, 75 and 50 µm in medium fluidity and 75, 50 and 25 in fluid groups.. (P> 0.05). According to Shark fin test field analysis results; a statistically significant difference was found between the polyether medium fluid group, the polyether fluid group, the polyvinyl siloxane fluid group and the C type fluid groups and the C type medium fluid group against the C type medium fluid group. Another statistically significant difference was found between the polyether medium fluid group, the polyether fluid group, the polyvinyl siloxane fluid group ,the C type fluid group and the polyvinly siloxane less fluid group against the polyvinly less fluid group. Key words: shark fin test, elastomeric dental impression materials, fluidity features, surface details analysis