Casting

Dr. Hasibush Shahid Hasib

BDS, D-Prostho
Assistant Professor, Pioneer Dental College

Casting is the technique or procedure by which molten metal or alloy is forced into a burnt out mould
prepared from a wax pattern.

Materials and instruments used in casting procedure

1. Die material
2. Inlay casting wax
3. Sprue former
4. Crucible former
5. Casting ring
6. Ring liner
7. Crucible
8. Investment material
9. Centrifugal casting machine
10. Preheating furnae

Sprue
A sprue is an aperture through which molten metal flows into a mould to make a casting.
Functions of sprue-
1. Helps to flow the molten metal toward the mould for making the prothesis.

Sprue former
The wax (inlay wax) or metal form that is being used to make the aperture is called a sprue former.
Functions of sprue former-
1. It makes a passage for the elimination of wax during burn out process.
2. It makes passage for entry of molten alloy during casting.
3. It acts as a reservoir of molten metal which compensates for alloy shrinkage during
solidification.

Reservoir
A reservoir 1-2 mm away from the attached portion of the sprue former is made.
Functions of reservoir-
1. The reservoir will reserve molten metal and will supply it to prevent solidification shrinkage.

Crucible former
It is the base (sprue base) to which the wax or metal sprue is attached while the wax pattern is being
invested with an investment material. The crucible former can be made of rubber, wood, wax or other
polymers.
Functions of crucible former-
1. Makes space for molten metal for casting.

Casting ring
It is a metallic ring open at both the ends. Its main purpose is to confine the investment material. Casting
ring is also known as casting flask
Functions of casting ring-
1. Wax pattern for casting is invested inside this ring with the investment material.

Casting ring liner

Casting ring liner is placed inside the casting ring. Once asbestos liners were used but recently it has
been banned as it carcinogenic. Recently non-asbestos types of ring liners are used.

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They are of different types which are as follows-

1. Fibrous ceramic aluminous silicate
2. Cellulose (paper)
3. Ceramic-cellulose combination
Functions of the ring liner-
1. It facilitates the mold expansion. It facilitates normal setting expansion in the investment.
2. It acts as a thermal insulator when it is transferred from the furnace to cast
3. Facilitates thermal expansion of the mold.
4. Facilitates easy escape of occluded gas.

Steps for casting procedure

1. Tooth or teeth preparation
2. Taking of impression of the prepared tooth/teeth
3. Preparation of the die with type iv or v stone
4. Preparation of the wax pattern with casting wax
5. Attachment of the wax pattern with sprue former
6. Placement of the ring liner inside the casting ring
7. Placement of the other end of the sprue former at the midpoint of the crucible former
8. Placement of the casting ring over the crucible former
9. Investing the wax pattern after spraying with non-foamy detergent over the pattern
10. Burn out of the wax
11. Casting
12. Quenching and recovery of the cast
13. Cleansing the cast by pickling solution
14. Polishing of the cast

Principles for casting procedure:

1. Sprue diameter
2. Sprue position
3. Sprue attachment
4. Sprue direction
5. Sprue length

Casting defects
1. Casting size mismatch
2. Distortion
3. Surface roughness
4. Nodules
5. Fins
6. Porosity
7. Incomplete casting
8. Contaminated casting

Casting size mismatch

The restoration should retain its dimensions after casting. Thus the casting may be-
1. Too small
2. Too large
Casting size problems affect the fit of the restoration. Dimension related problems are usually related
to-
1. Improper technique.
2. Failure to understand the properties of the materials involved in fabricating the restoration.

Distortion
Distortion of the casting is usually due to distortion of wax pattern.

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1. Some distortion of wax occurs when the investment hardens or due to hygroscopic and setting
expansion.
2. Some distortion occurs during manipulation due to the release of stresses.

Surface roughness
Surface irregularities can range from surface roughness to larger nodules and fins.
Causes of surface roughness-
1. Type of investment Phosphate bonded investments tend to have greater surface roughness
when compared to gypsum bonded investments.
2. Composition of the investment Proportion of the quartz and binder influences the surface
texture of casting. Coarse silica produces coarse castings.
3. Particle size of investment Larger particle size of investment produces coarse castings.
4. Improper W-P ratio A higher W-P ratio gives rougher casting.
- Minimized by using correct W/P ratio and investment of correct particle size.
5. Prolonged heating causes disintegration of the mold cavity
- Minimized by complete the casting as soon as the ring is heated and ready.
6. Overheating of gold alloy has the same effect. It disintegrates the investment.
7. Too high or too low casting pressure.
- Minimized by using 15 lbs/sq inch of air pressure or three to four turns of centrifugal casting
machine.
8. Foreign body inclusion shows sharp, well-defined deficiencies. Inclusion of flux shows as
bright concavities.

Surface nodules
Nodules on the inner surface of a casting can affect the fit of the restoration.
Causes by-
1. They are usually caused by air or gas bubbles trapped on the wax pattern.
Minimized by-
1. Proper mixing of investment
2. Vibration of mix
3. Vacuum investing
4. Painting of a think layer of investment on the pattern.
5. Application of wetting agent

Fin
Fins are narrow raised areas on a casting usually corresponding to a crack in the investment (Fig.
21.17). Molten alloy fills and solidifies in these cracks resulting in fins.
Causes by-
1. Cracks are usually caused by weak investment or too rapid a heating of the investment.
Minimized by-
1. Proper water powder ratio for improved strength of investment.
2. Avoid prolonged and rapid heating of the mold. Heat the ring gradually to 7000C (at least 1 hr).
3. Proper spruing so as to prevent direct impact of the molten metal at an angle of 900.
4. Allow the investment adequate time to set properly. Avoid premature use.
5. Careful handling of the mold to prevent it from dropping or impacting.

Porosity
Porosity may be internal or external. External porosity can cause discoloration of the casting; Severe
porosity at the tooth restoration inter phase can even cause secondary caries. Internal porosity weakens
the restoration.
Types of porosities-
1. Caused by solidification shrinkage-
- Localized shrinkage porosity

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- Suck back porosity (Irregular in shape)

- Microporosities
2. Caused by gas-
- Pin hole porosity
- Gas inclusions (Usually spherical in shape)
- Subsurface porosity
3. Caused by air trapped in the mold (back pressure porosity)

Shrink-spot or localized shrinkage porosity

These are large irregular voids usually found near the sprue-casting junction. It occurs when the cooling
sequence is incorrect and the sprue freezes before the rest of the casting. During a correct cooling
sequence, the sprue should freeze last. This allows more molten metal to flow into the mould to
compensate for the shrinkage of the casting as it solidifies. If the sprue solidifies before the rest of the
casting no more molten metal can be supplied from the sprue. The subsequent shrinkage produces voids
or pits known as shrink-spot porosity.
Avoid by-
• Using sprue of correct thickness.
• Attach sprue to thickest portion of wax pattern.
• Flaring the sprue at the point of attachment or placing a reservoir close to the wax pattern.

Suck back porosity

It is a variation of the shrink spot porosity. This is an external void usually seen in the inside of a crown
opposite the sprue. A hot spot is created by the hot metal impinging on the mould wall near the sprue
which causes this region to freeze last. Since the sprue has already solidified, no more molten material
is available and the resulting shrinkage causes a type of shrinkage called suck back porosity. It is
avoided by reducing the temperature difference between the mould and the molten alloy.

Micro porosity
These are fine irregular voids within the casting. It is seen when the casting cools too rapidly. Rapid
solidification occurs when the mould or casting temperature is too low.

Pin hole porosity

Many metals dissolve gases when molten. Upon solidification the dissolved gases are expelled causing
tiny voids, e.g. platinum and palladium absorb hydrogen. Copper and silver dissolve oxygen.

Gas inclusion porosities

Gas inclusion porosities are also spherical voids but are larger than the pin hole type. They may also be
due to dissolved gases, but are more likely due to gases carried in or trapped by the molten metal. A
poorly adjusted blow torch can also occlude gases.

Subsurface porosity
They may be caused by simultaneous nucleation of solid grains & gas bubbles when the alloy freezes
at the mould walls.
Prevention by-
• controlling the rate at which the molten metal enters the mold.
• It is reduced by increase in sprue length.

Back pressure porosity

This is caused by inadequate venting of the mold. Air is trapped in the mold and is unable to escape.
The sprue pattern length should be adjusted so that there is not more than 1/4" thickness of the
investment between the bottom of the casting ring and the wax pattern. When the molten metal enters
the mold, the air inside is pushed out through the porous investment at the bottom. If the bulk of the
investment is too great, the escape of air becomes difficult causing increased pressure in the mold. The

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gold will then solidify before the mold is completely filled resulting in a porous casting with rounded
short margins.
Avoided by-
• Using adequate casting force.
• Use investment of adequate porosity.
• Place pattern not more than 6 to 8 mm away from the end of the ring.
• Providing vents in large castings.

Casting with gas blow holes

If there is any wax residue remaining in the mould, it gives off a large volume of gas as the molten alloy
enters the mould cavity. This gas can cause deficiencies in the casting and blow holes in the residue
button. To help eliminate wax completely from the mould, the burnout should be done with the sprue
hole facing downwards for the wax to run down.

Incomplete casting
• An incomplete casting may result when-
• Insufficient alloy used.
• Alloy not sufficiently molten or fluid.
• Alloy not able to enter thinner areas of mould.
• Mould is not heated to proper temperature.
• Premature solidification of alloy.
• Sprue blocked with foreign bodies.
• Back pressure due to gases in mould cavity.
• Low casting pressure.
• When the wax is not completely eliminated, it combines with oxygen or air in the mould cavity
forming carbon monoxide which is a reducing agent. The gas prevents the oxidation of the surface
of the casting gold with the result that the casting which comes out from the investment is bright
and shiny. The formation of gas in the mould is so rapid that it also has a back pressure effect.
• Small casting- If compensation for shrinkage of alloy is not done by adequate expansion of mould
cavity, then a small casting will result. Another reason is the shrinkage of the impression material.

Contamination
A casting can be contaminated due to
Oxidation, caused by-
• Overheating the alloy
• Use of oxidizing zone of flame
• Failure to use flux
Sulphur compounds, formed by the breakdown of the investment when the ring is overheated (see black
casting below).
Avoid by-
• Not overheating alloy
• Use reducing zone of the flame
• Use flux

Black casting
Can be due to two reasons-
• Overheating the investment above 7000C causes it to decompose liberating sulphur or sulphur
compounds. They readily combine with the metals in gold alloy forming a sulphide film. This
gives a dark casting which cannot be cleaned by pickling.
• A black casting can be also due to incomplete elimination of the wax pattern, as a result of
heating the mould at too low temperature. A carbonized wax remains which sticks to the surface
of the casting. It can be removed by heating over a flame.

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Thank you