Fundamentals of Dental Materials

dental02.jpg (11342 bytes) Fundamentals of
Dental Materials

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Dental Resins, Miscellaneous Dental Materials, and Dental Gold/Alloys

2-9. GUTTA-PERCHA POINTS

a. General. Gutta-percha points are made from the refined, coagulated, milky exudate of trees in the Malay peninsula. Gutta-percha is pink or gray in color. It is softened by heat and is easily molded. When cool, gutta-percha maintains its shape. Gutta-percha points are used as a root canal filling material.

b. Advantages.

(1) They have a high thermal expansion.

(2) They do not shrink unless used with solvent.

(3) They are radiopaque, conduct heat poorly, and are easy to remove from the root canal.

(4) They may be kept sterile in antiseptic solution, are impervious to moisture, and are bacteriostatic (prevent the growth or multiplication of bacteria).

c. Disadvantages.

(1) They shrink when used with a solvent.

(2) They are not always easy to introduce into the root canal.

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Ancillary Content and Online Version: David L. Heiserman
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