Need help with wax-up techniques
- Thread starter nyd
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One thing that my Big taught me that ended up being really helpful was instead of using the main carvers for everything - for things that aren't bulk removals, use one of the medium size PKT wax applicator things (yeah, don't have my kit on me at the moment) to carve your contours, it may be slower, but it is much safer, and gives your tooth much more realistic looking curves.
Also, my bench instructor gave me this trick of the trade - if you're having trouble getting the general tooth shape to start with, just pile on the wax to about the right height, and then pass the tooth through the burner (above the flame) a few quick times, and simply mold it with your fingers for the rough shape! It worked great for number 8.
Oh, and another thing, use a nylon wrapped over your finger like sandpaper to smooth the surface, and give it a really polished look. Not only does it have a sanding action, but the friction buildup melts only the very surface of the wax, making it look really nice and polished.
I know I'll be spending a few hours after class in the lab to finish up my 24 that's due on friday, so I know what you're going through, good luck!
Also, my bench instructor gave me this trick of the trade - if you're having trouble getting the general tooth shape to start with, just pile on the wax to about the right height, and then pass the tooth through the burner (above the flame) a few quick times, and simply mold it with your fingers for the rough shape! It worked great for number 8.
Oh, and another thing, use a nylon wrapped over your finger like sandpaper to smooth the surface, and give it a really polished look. Not only does it have a sanding action, but the friction buildup melts only the very surface of the wax, making it look really nice and polished.
I know I'll be spending a few hours after class in the lab to finish up my 24 that's due on friday, so I know what you're going through, good luck!
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I pretty much used #7 spatula to carve all my wax ups.
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If you have a friend who is a lab tech, ask him/her to lend you the technician's manual for waxing techniques. I found these to be superior to the standard textbooks reserved for dental students. Also ask help from the ones who CAN DO WHAT THEY PREACH (your friendly lab tech). You need to be PHYSICALLY shown and not being told to "do this and do that..." by your faculty. On the polishing thing, you need to start with a slighty larger wax up because polishing will reduce its size somewhat. DP
thank you so much. does anyone have videos to share? I would be wonderful.
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I posted a lengthy response on this same topic in another thread. Here it is:
Here is my 2 cents.
You must understand that you cannot do a wax up adequately outside of the arch. This may seem stupid, but I have seen many a new dental student slave away on a wax up until it looks great... only when they put it in the arch it is all wrong.
I like the subtractive method myself. Build that sucker up to about 125% of what it should be and start shaping it back. Begin with the proper incisal/cusp tip placement (i.e. it should be in a line with the other teeth. Next carve out your embrasure spaces. If you do not know what these are, ask someone or look it up. Basically, they are the angles formed by the meeting of teeth. If I could, I would draw you a picture here, but I cant. Check the opposite teeth for an idea. There are LOTS of embrasure spaces to carve out. Once you get this concept in dental anatomy, then you will understand why Angle Ranking is the most relevant portion of the entire DAT.
Then move on to emergence profile, or at what angle the tooth comes out of the gingiva. Again, the other teeth in the arch will show you the correct angle. Then you need to dial in your occlusal anatomy. I cannot tell you how important it is to be able to do this well and to do it quickly. When you do your first occlusal fillings, then you will understand why you are forced to do this in a timed fashion, especially when the setting time of your material is around 5 minutes.
To do occlusal anatomy, first define your central groove. Then rough out your ridges. Again, consult the opposite tooth and the adjacent teeth to give you an idea for position of both the central groove and the ridges. I know this might seem a little premature, but if you develop a sequence and stick with it, then you will be working on an very relevant clinical skill. If you don't understand how to re-create occlusal anatomy then you will be forever adjusting your fillings and that sucks for you and your patient.
Once you have your wax up pretty much roughed out, then it is time to sexy it up. That has been explained pretty well elsewhere, so I wont go into that.
Let me just sum this up: wax ups are, in my opinion, training for restorative dentistry. Learn to get clues from adjacent teeth, learn to see and compare angles from those teeth. Try and work quickly. I would also recommend sticking with a carving instrument that you would find in an operative tray, such as a Tanner Carver or a Half Hollenbeck, because your wax carving skills will merge into your amalgam carving/composite shaping skills.
A little bit has been said so far about the additive method and the subtractive method. Both are ok, in my opinion for these reasons: amalgam carving will be mainly subtractive and composite will be additive. But for beginners, the subtractive method is the easiest. You dont want to spend an hour and a half adding wax slowly, only to realize that you added too much here and too little there. Just add too much and then you know where you are.
Good luck.
Here is my 2 cents.
You must understand that you cannot do a wax up adequately outside of the arch. This may seem stupid, but I have seen many a new dental student slave away on a wax up until it looks great... only when they put it in the arch it is all wrong.
I like the subtractive method myself. Build that sucker up to about 125% of what it should be and start shaping it back. Begin with the proper incisal/cusp tip placement (i.e. it should be in a line with the other teeth. Next carve out your embrasure spaces. If you do not know what these are, ask someone or look it up. Basically, they are the angles formed by the meeting of teeth. If I could, I would draw you a picture here, but I cant. Check the opposite teeth for an idea. There are LOTS of embrasure spaces to carve out. Once you get this concept in dental anatomy, then you will understand why Angle Ranking is the most relevant portion of the entire DAT.
Then move on to emergence profile, or at what angle the tooth comes out of the gingiva. Again, the other teeth in the arch will show you the correct angle. Then you need to dial in your occlusal anatomy. I cannot tell you how important it is to be able to do this well and to do it quickly. When you do your first occlusal fillings, then you will understand why you are forced to do this in a timed fashion, especially when the setting time of your material is around 5 minutes.
To do occlusal anatomy, first define your central groove. Then rough out your ridges. Again, consult the opposite tooth and the adjacent teeth to give you an idea for position of both the central groove and the ridges. I know this might seem a little premature, but if you develop a sequence and stick with it, then you will be working on an very relevant clinical skill. If you don't understand how to re-create occlusal anatomy then you will be forever adjusting your fillings and that sucks for you and your patient.
Once you have your wax up pretty much roughed out, then it is time to sexy it up. That has been explained pretty well elsewhere, so I wont go into that.
Let me just sum this up: wax ups are, in my opinion, training for restorative dentistry. Learn to get clues from adjacent teeth, learn to see and compare angles from those teeth. Try and work quickly. I would also recommend sticking with a carving instrument that you would find in an operative tray, such as a Tanner Carver or a Half Hollenbeck, because your wax carving skills will merge into your amalgam carving/composite shaping skills.
A little bit has been said so far about the additive method and the subtractive method. Both are ok, in my opinion for these reasons: amalgam carving will be mainly subtractive and composite will be additive. But for beginners, the subtractive method is the easiest. You dont want to spend an hour and a half adding wax slowly, only to realize that you added too much here and too little there. Just add too much and then you know where you are.
Good luck.
hi...
usually, adding wax to the completed occlusal rims on the anterior sides and more on the canine and even more on the flanges is the basic principle for wax up...
u can do this either by melting a strip of wax onto the rims or adding wax slowly with the spatula
for carving, u may use #7 spatulas sharp side to crate all the root prominences first and then the grooves and at the end make the gingival cuff prominence... remember canines have the maximum prominence and that the roots follow the angle of the tooth...
see this video for exact technique - www.dentalspaces.net
usually, adding wax to the completed occlusal rims on the anterior sides and more on the canine and even more on the flanges is the basic principle for wax up...
u can do this either by melting a strip of wax onto the rims or adding wax slowly with the spatula
for carving, u may use #7 spatulas sharp side to crate all the root prominences first and then the grooves and at the end make the gingival cuff prominence... remember canines have the maximum prominence and that the roots follow the angle of the tooth...
see this video for exact technique - www.dentalspaces.net
here are some videos that helped me. I almost think we should sticky these videos or create a "D1 FAQ" and link to good sites. The same questions probably come up year after year.
canine:
http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/virtechs/dental_anatomy_and_occlusion/cuspid_waxup.html
mand premolar:
http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/virtechs/dental_anatomy_and_occlusion/bicuspid_waxup.html
max premolar:
http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects...y_and_occlusion/maxillary_premolar_waxup.html
max central:
http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects...y_and_occlusion/maxilliary_central_waxup.html
The site has a few others about central groove preparation and general anterior tooth help.
canine:
http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/virtechs/dental_anatomy_and_occlusion/cuspid_waxup.html
mand premolar:
http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/virtechs/dental_anatomy_and_occlusion/bicuspid_waxup.html
max premolar:
http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects...y_and_occlusion/maxillary_premolar_waxup.html
max central:
http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects...y_and_occlusion/maxilliary_central_waxup.html
The site has a few others about central groove preparation and general anterior tooth help.
