Test values, technique selection, storage rules and a troubleshooting table you can hand to an assistant. Written to be printed and kept in the sterilization area.
Values determined per ISO 4823 (elastomeric impression materials) at 73 °F / 23 °C and 50% relative humidity, unless otherwise noted.
| Property | Putty | Heavy Body | Monophase | Light Body | X-Light Wash | Bite Reg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 4823 type | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | — |
| Total working time | 1:30 | 1:30 | 1:15 | 1:15 | 0:40 | 0:30 |
| Intraoral set time | 2:30 | 3:30 | 3:00 | 3:00 | 2:00 | 1:00 |
| Detail reproduction | 20 µm | 20 µm | 20 µm | 20 µm | 20 µm | 20 µm |
| Linear dimensional change (24 h) | < 0.20% | < 0.20% | < 0.20% | < 0.20% | < 0.20% | < 0.10% |
| Recovery from deformation | > 99.5% | > 99.5% | > 99.5% | > 99.5% | > 99.5% | > 99.0% |
| Strain in compression | 2.0% | 2.8% | 3.4% | 4.0% | 4.4% | 1.2% |
| Shore A hardness (24 h) | ~62 | ~58 | ~52 | ~48 | ~45 | ~92 |
| Contact angle (post-set) | — | < 40° | < 35° | < 30° | < 30° | — |
Times are measured from the start of mixing. Regular-set figures shown where a material is offered in more than one set speed; see the product pages for fast-set values. Elevated intraoral temperature shortens set time — plan for roughly 10–15% faster in a warm operatory.
Four combinations cover almost every fixed prosthodontic case that walks through the door.
Heavy Body + Light Body, matched set speeds. Syringe the wash around the prep while your assistant loads the tray; seat and hold. Both materials cure together, which is what produces the bond between layers.
Use Fast set for a single unit, Regular set for a quadrant or a patient who needs a slower hand.
Putty first, then Extra-Light Wash. Take a preliminary impression in putty, relieve 2–3 mm of wash space, then reseat with wash. The most forgiving technique for deep margins and heavy undercuts.
Cut relief channels so trapped wash has somewhere to escape — otherwise the tray won't fully seat.
Monophase alone. Syringe around transfer copings and load the same material into a rigid custom or stock tray. Its rigidity is what keeps a multi-unit implant case accurate through pickup.
Always use a rigid tray for implant work. Flexible stock trays introduce error a good material can't fix.
Bite Registration alone. Express onto the occlusal surfaces of the dried arch, guide the patient into centric, hold one minute. Trim the interferences before mounting.
Dry the teeth first. A wet occlusal surface is the most common cause of a registration that won't seat on the models.
Always use tray adhesive. VPS does not bond to plastic or metal trays on its own. Paint a thin coat, let it dry 60 seconds, and stay 2–3 mm past where the material will sit. Adhesive failure looks like material distortion, and it gets blamed on the material far more often than it deserves.
Apply adhesive, dry 60 seconds. Verify the tray seats without impinging on tissue.
Retract, control hemorrhage, then dry — but not desiccated. Our wash tolerates residual moisture; it does not tolerate frank blood pooling on the margin.
Express a pea-sized bead onto gauze before attaching the intraoral tip. The first material through a fresh mixing tip is not fully mixed.
Keep the tip buried in the material as you go around the prep, so you're pushing air ahead of the wash rather than folding it in.
Seat with steady pressure and stop moving. Movement during the elastic phase is the single largest source of distortion in an otherwise good impression.
Break the seal, then remove along the long axis of the teeth in a single snap. Rocking it out is what tears interproximal fins.
Rinse the set impression under running water to remove debris, then immerse in an EPA-registered intermediate-level disinfectant per that product's label instructions. ImpressiveBite materials tolerate immersion disinfection without measurable dimensional change.
Rinse and air-dry before pouring or shipping to the lab.
Most failures have two or three likely causes. Work down the list before you blame the material — and if it is the material, tell us and we'll replace it.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause | What to change |
|---|---|---|
| Voids at the margin | Moisture or blood in the sulcus; air folded in while syringing | Improve hemostasis before syringing; keep the tip buried in the material as you trace the margin |
| Material didn't set | Sulfur or latex contamination; expired or badly stored cartridge | Change to non-latex gloves before handling; check lot expiry; discard the first extrusion from a new tip |
| Wash tore on removal | Removed too early; rocked out instead of a single pull | Add 30 seconds of intraoral time; break the seal, then remove along the long axis in one motion |
| Wash pulled away from the tray material | Tray material had already begun to set before seating | Load the tray and syringe simultaneously; use the Regular set for longer cases |
| Impression distorted or won't seat on the model | Adhesive failure; tray flexed during set; patient moved | Re-check adhesive coverage and dry time; switch to a rigid tray; hold still through the full set |
| Set faster than expected | Warm operatory or warm cartridge | Store cartridges away from sterilizers and sunlight; use the Regular set in warm environments |
| Bite registration won't seat on mounted models | Wet occlusal surfaces; soft tissue captured in the registration | Dry the arch before expressing; trim all soft tissue contact before mounting |
Safety Data Sheets and Instructions for Use are included with every shipment and are available on request for any current or prior lot — ask us and we'll send the exact document for your lot number.
For professional dental use only. The information on this page is guidance for licensed clinicians and does not replace the Instructions for Use supplied with the product, or a clinician's own judgment for a given patient.