Mix Characteristics
When the dentist evaluators were asked to rate
DEFEND VPS impression material on its mix characteristics—
how easily and cleanly it mixes—5 evaluators
rated it as excellent to very good and 1 evaluator
rated it as good. One evaluator commented that
the material “mixed very well.” Another said, “The
mix of the light body [material] was excellent. It
flowed around the prep with ease. [A]fter it set, the
margins were captured perfectly. A third evaluator
noted the “mixing is easier compared to our usual
impression material, particularly heavy and medium
consistencies.”
Flow Characteristics
The evaluators were asked to rate the importance
of flow characteristics when choosing a VPS impression
material. Four of the evaluators rated flow as
very important and 2 rated it as important. When the
evaluators were asked to rate DEFEND impression
material on its flow characteristics, 6 rated it as excellent
to very good and 1 rated it as poor. The evaluator
who gave the material a poor score said that it
showed a lack of flow characteristic. However, the
other evaluators spoke positively about the material
in this regard. One commented, “I thought the flow
was excellent for the light body, and perhaps slightly
too much for the heavy and medium.
But once set, the rigidity of both heavy
and medium seems good.”
Hydrophilic Characteristics
The evaluators rated hydrophilic
characteristics as very important to
important when purchasing a VPS
impression material. With regard to
DEFEND VPS impression material, 6
rated it as very good to good and 1
rated it as fair. They all agreed that
DEFEND VPS is very similar to other
VPS materials they have used when it
comes to the results they achieve in a
wet environment. One evaluator commented
that he “only had voids from
moisture contamination twice.”
Detail and Precision
When the 7 dentist evaluators were
asked about the importance of detail
and precision when choosing an impression
material, all the evaluators said
these characteristics are very important.
The evaluators were then asked to rate
DEFEND VPS impression material on
detail and precision, 4 rated the material
as excellent, 1 rated it as very good,
and 2 rated it as good. Two of the evaluators
noted that the detail and precision
they achieved with DEFEND is
comparable to other impression materials
they have used. Another evaluator
said, “Once we got a good impression,
the detail was outstanding.”
Ease of Use
According to the manufacturer,
DEFEND monophase material can be
used very effectively for implant and
single step techniques. Six of the 7 dentists
who participated in the evaluation
of DEFEND VPS impression material
rated it as excellent to very good when
it comes to overall ease of use; 1 evaluator
rated it as good. One evaluator
said, “The assistants all commented
that [the material] is easy to mix.”
Overall Satisfaction
When the evaluators were asked if
they would recommend DEFEND VPS
impression material to colleagues within
the dental professional, 4 said definitely
and 3 said probably. When they were
asked if they would purchase the material
in the future, 6 said definitely or
probably and 1 said that he wasn’t sure.
At the end of the evaluation, the
dentists were asked to rate their overall
satisfaction with DEFEND VPS impression
material. Six rated the product as
excellent to very good and 1 rated it as
good. One evaluator said, “I must admit
I was a little concerned/apprehensive
about using a fast-set material, but to
my surprise, I had more than enough
time to get trays loaded and get it to the
mouth before the material set.”
