The Effect of Equilibrating Master Casts on the Occlusal Harmony of Cast Restorations

The Effect of Equilibrating Master Casts On The Occlusal Harmony Of Cast Restorations (October 2008) Joe Meng, University of Montana; D.D.S., University of Iowa Chair of Advisory Committee: William W. Nagy PURPOSE: To determine the occlusal accuracy of mounted stone casts and the viability of a cast adjustment technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A dentoform mounted on an articulator served as the simulated patient. Derived dental stone casts were mounted and occlusal contacts/near contacts were compared. Cast mountings were also allocated for adjustment (experimental) and no adjustment (control). A mandibular complete crown was fabricated and adjusted on each set of casts, returned to the dentoform, and polyvinylsiloxane occlusal records were made. The records were scanned for optical density and contacts were quantified as contact and near contact. Non-parametric tests were used. RESULTS: Derived cast contact areas were different from each other and the simulated patient. Crown contacts fabricated from adjusted casts were different from the control. Actual contact areas were not different from the simulated patient. CONCLUSIONS: A master cast adjustment procedure can aid in fabrication of restorations with accurate occlusal contacts.