Consultants’ Comments

• “The products are all exceptional. The syringe is easy to load and ergonomically sized.”
• “The retraction capsules had a very fine tip that easily allowed placement of the paste into the sulcus, which proved to provide adequate retraction in most instances.”
• “The VPS is smooth, easy to extrude and moisture tolerant. Imprint 4 is great at drying the sulcus when used as directed. We got great impressions with minimal retakes when using this product.”
• “Since switching, our crowns fit so much better. The color contrast between light- and heavy-body impression materials makes it much easier to read margins. I never get bubbles and am very happy with this product.”
• “Would absolutely use the intra oral syringe and Imprint 4.”
• “The impression process got streamlined and once learned it was easier to capture good quality impression.”
• “The combination of easy to use and effective retraction paste coupled with a really, really nice impression material and convenient intra-oral delivery system made the process of taking impressions a joy. ”

Clinical Tips

• “If you have an ideal prep that is not too subgingival, the retraction paste is fine. For deep subgingival preps, I would use the retraction paste and retraction cord together.”
• “If I had hand issues or if the space in my operatory was limited, then I would use and recommend the intra-oral syringes.”

Evaluation Highlights

3M Impression Procedure was evaluated by 41 consultants, with an average of 16 uses per consultant. It received a 92% clinical rating.

Observations

• “The pressure needed to keep the plunger moving was variable. Can the plastic be modified for smoother action?”
• “Retraction capsules are great, although I wish the material was thicker.”
• “I liked the impression material but prefer administration with a gun.”
• “The retraction paste is good enough as a stand alone solution to gingival retraction and hemostasis. If one were to use in addition to cord, it would only help enhance the retractions of the sulcus.”
• “I prefer to stick with the same manufacturer for all impressions. Once you’re used to the material, your technique becomes better.”
• “If the products are recommended as a system, I am confident that they are designed to work together optimally.”

Description

The 3M Impression Procedure consists of three components: 3M™ Retraction Capsule, 3M™ Intra-oral Syringes, and the 3M™ Imprint™ 4 VPS Impression Material. The retraction paste contains 15% aluminum chloride, is delivered in a pre-loadable, single-use capsule and can be used alone or in combination with retraction cord. The paste is compatible with VPS and polyether (PE) impression materials and is delivered through an extra-fine tip directly into the sulcus. The disposable syringes mix and dispense VPS and PE wash impression materials. They are angled to enhance access and control during dispensing. The 3M Impression Procedure also includes Imprint 4, a mint-flavored VPS impression material with adequate working time and accelerated fast setting time due to its self-warming mechanism. It is available in putty and heavy- and light-body viscosities, for tray and wash materials. The tray materials (putty and heavy body) are available for the 3M™ Pentamix™ systems.