Rethinking the copper band impression:
Old technique, new materials

by Nelson Gendusa, DDS
Director - Research

I know. I know. Copper bands are generally regarded as old fashioned. Outdated. Like silver-plated dies and gold foils.

Several years ago we surveyed dentists concerning their impression practices. Just 5% of the respondents said they still took copper band impressions. (One recent textbook on fixed prosthodontics doesn’t even mention the technique.)

The reason dentistry abandoned copper band impressions wasn’t that they didn’t work. Even their biggest critics admit they produce extraordinarily accurate dies.

No, the reason dentistry abandoned copper band impressions was that they were a royal pain to take. We burned ourselves on the hot impression compound. Then we cut our fingers and chewed up the gingiva trying to force down those knife-edged bands filled with gummy compound.

Copper bands took the rap. But compound was the culprit.

Here’s a fast, neat technique for taking band impressions using Blu-Mousse. There’s no heat to burn patient or dentist. No pressure to damage tissue (yours or theirs!). And you don’t even need retraction cord.

By the way, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t mention our dead-soft Gripper Copper Bands. They’re preannealed to save time and they’re microscopically roughened to retain impression material without adhesive.

1.) After preparing the tooth and controlling bleeding (figure 1), select the copper band. It should be tall enough to extend from 1mm apical to the margin to at least 3mm above the coronal surface. This will allow room for crimping and cutting retention wings.

2.) The diameter should be just large enough that when you test-seat the band and look from the occlusal, you see the entire marginal preparation. (figure 2)

(If you’re not using a Gripper Copper Band you must anneal it in a flame before proceeding.)

3.) After you’ve selected the proper diameter band, seat it gently on the tooth so it extends beyond the margin.

Using a soft lead pencil, draw an “X” on the buccal for orientation (figure 3).

4.) Trace the tissue contour onto the band. I always found it hard to trace a continuous line (and of course the proximal areas are inaccessible), so I just draw a series of dots (figure 4) and then after removing the copper band I draw the connecting line (figure 5). Finally, I cut along the line using sharp crown-and-bridge scissors (figure 6).

5.) Crimp the gingival end of the band (figure 7). Crimping can be very easy ... or very difficult. Easy, if you use contouring pliers. Difficult, if you use conventional straight pliers. (#115 Reynolds contouring pliers cost about $20.)

6.) Reseat the copper band. The contoured edge of the band will now slip below the tissue. Be sure it rests at least 1/2 mm beneath the margin.

Draw an occlusal line even with the adjacent teeth (figure 8).

7.) Cut retention wings on the occlusal, coronal to the preparation (figure 9).

8.) Seat the prepared band (figure 10) and check it again from the occlusal to be sure you can see the entire preparation (figure 11), including the margins. Then remove it, taking care not to distort it.

(If you use Parkell’s Gripper Copper Bands, you do not need adhesive. However, if you are using conventional bands, coat the interior surfaces with a tray adhesive recommended for vinyl impression materials.)

9.) Fill the band with Blu-Mousse and reseat it on the preparation. Due to its fluffy consistency, the material will not flow out as you carry the band back to the mouth. When you reseat it, the material displaced by the preparation will mound up at the occlusal. Rest your finger on the surface to compress it slightly (figure 12). IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO PUSH. Just a light pressure is all it takes.

(Yes, if you’re wearing latex gloves your finger will probably inhibit setting, but that doesn’t matter because the inhibition will occur far from the preparation, and the over-impression will incorporate the unset material.)

10.) Once the material has set (30 seconds if you use Super-Fast Blu-Mousse, 2 minutes if you use Classic), the impression will be solid as a rock. Remove the band and examine it (figure 13). You should be able to clearly see the entire preparation. (If you don’t, or you discover that you caught a bubble, simply relieve the impression, cut a vent through the occlusal and retake it.)

11.) Reseat the copper band impression, and pick it up in the over-impression (figure 14). We’ve used Blu-Mousse here for maximum accuracy, but if you have undercuts or periodontally involved teeth, you should use a more flexible material such as Green-Mousse or Cinch-Platinum.

Looking for more information about Blu-Mousse or Green Mousse? Click here.

To see how Dentists use Blu-Mousse, please click here.

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