Influence of the Disinfection Technique in Detail Reproduction and Dimensional Change of Plaster Casts Obtained from Different Alginate Impression Material Molds

The aim was to evaluate the detail reproduction and dimensional change of alginates after using different disinfection techniques. The molds of three alginate (Jeltrate Plus, Hydrogum 5 and Cavex ColorChange) were prepared at the top surface of the matrix where there was three parallel lines 20, 50, and 75 µm wide and 25 mm length between two vertical lines marked X and X′ with perforated metal tray. The molds were disinfected using a 0.2% peracetic acid solution by spraying or immersion or not disinfected. The alginate impressions were poured with dental stone obtaining plaster casts. The detail reproduction and dimensional change of plaster casts were measured on the 50 µm wide and 25 mm length line with an optical microscopy and compared with the matrix. The dimensional change date (%) was analyzed with two way ANOVA (factors, disinfection technique and material) and post-hoc comparison was conducted with Tukey’s test. The three alginates showed complete detail reproduction in the line of 50 µm. For the disinfection technique factor, models obtained from molds disinfected by the immersion technique differed significantly from models obtained from molds that were not disinfected. There is no difference in detail reproduction in plaster casts made from alginate molds, regardless of differences in disinfection technique or alginate used. There is a difference in dimensional accuracy in plaster casts made from alginate molds between molds disinfected by immersion and not disinfected; however, the difference found is not of clinical relevance.