Impressions are an essential part of any dental practice, being the go-to solution when an impression is needed, and accuracy isn’t paramount. It’s quick mixing and setup time makes it perfect for in-office visits, and the ability to control its set time through the use of variant water temperatures ensures you have time to set it for a good fit. While all forms of alginate share these properties, the different forms show variances in a set time and physical properties such as dimensional stability.
| Brand/Model | Setting Time | Dust-Free | Tear Strength | Flavor | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeltrate Plus | 1 min 45 sec | Yes | High | Mint | $26.99 |
| Hydrogum 5 | 1 min 30 sec | Yes | High | Mint | $29.99 |
| Algin-X Ultra | 1 min 30 sec | Yes | High | Bubble Gum | $39.99 |
| Kromopan 100 | 1 min 30 sec | Yes | High | Mint | $45.99 |
| Perfect Mix | 1 min 30 sec | Yes | High | Mint | $29.99 |
The two forms of alginate available are powder, the most common form, and paste. This latter is available in two styles separated by viscosity. Tray viscosity is the thicker of the two and intended for use in standard impression trays. The syringe is the other viscosity available. Each of the two forms has its pros and cons.
- Powder Alginate – The more popular of the two varieties, powder alginates, are mixed with water to create the impression material.
- Paste Alginate – Studies of alginate techniques reveal that this form of alginate forms up faster due to a shorter gelation time and provides better surface quality than powders.
In both cases, a reaction indicator is often integrated with the mix to provide a visual indicator of when the mixture has correctly set. This feature, combined with a dustless mixture, defines the most desirable alginates on the market today. We searched through some of the industries’ most respected sources to discover the alginates that are prominently preferred by dental practitioners. Included in our search were Dental Town, Henry Schein, and Patterson.
1. Cavex CreamAlginate 500 grams by Cavex Holland
Dentaltix Ratings: 4 Stars out of Three Reviews
Product Award: Five stars, 97% rating by The Dental Advisor, Editor’s Choice, 2020 Top Award Winner
The Cavex Cream Alginate has been recognized as a highly-recommended powder formula for its easy-to-use, fast-setting formula. This alginate is a fast-setting, tear-resistant formula that’s dust-free. It has a detailed accuracy of 5 microns, and offers elasticity, snaps set, and when mixed has a smooth, creamy consistency that doesn’t interfere with scanning. Its standard setting has a 30-second mixing time and a total working time of 3.5 minutes, which includes 1.5 minutes for the intraoral setting. It also has a pleasant odor and color, making impressions a gratifying experience for the patient.
Dentaltix Price: € 9.16
2. Hydrogum 5 Alginate, 12-1 Lb Bags by Zhermack
Net32 Ratings: N/A
Hydrogum 5 is highly-recommended alginate by dentists at DentalTown because it has high stability, extra fast setting with a Mangustan scent. The product features a working time of a minute and five seconds, an impression setting of 45 seconds, and a set time of a minute and fifty seconds, making it quicker alginate than most products on the market. The Hydrogum 5 has a strain resistance of 13% and elastic recovery of 98%, making it a highly durable, flexible mixture that can be easily implemented into any office. The Hydrogum 5 is great for dental offices that need a homogenous consistency that’s reliable and less stressful for the patient.
Net32 Price: $21.00
3. Triphasix Alginate Impression Material by Parkell
Net32 Ratings: N/A
The Triphasix Alginate is a less costly version of the more popular brands., and offers denser, smooth alginate that’s able to capture details as small as 50 microns. It provides dimensional stability that’s resistant to impression distortion. It can be maintained for up to five days, and its pleasant french vanilla flavor makes it tolerable for patients. The package features a color-changing formula that switches from deep pink to white when ready to set into the mouth for impressions. It has a setting time of two minutes and 40 seconds.
Net32 Price: $13.94
4. KromoPan by Lascod
Net32 Ratings: Five stars out of 89 Reviews
Kromopan has been a go-to source for dentists in need of a cheap, fast solution for alginate impressions. Kromopan is a chromatic alginate that offers over seven days of stability, making it the longest-lasting alignate on the market. Its ability to last longer than a week gives it a high reputation among dentists, along with its other features, including its 30 second set time, easy-to-mix preparation, and dust-free formula. Its color indications help dentists track the consistency and readiness of the alginate, and its mint flavor makes it pleasant for patients.
Net32 Price: $10.14
5. KromaFaze Alginate by Kerr Dental
Net32 Ratings: N/A
KromoFaze is a powder alignate that’s also highly rated by dentists, as the impression can be removed from the tray 30 seconds after seating. Its mint scent makes the experience pleasing for the patient, and the Kromofaze alginate can be purchased either fast setting or regular setting for a variety of impression options. It’s easy-to-mix material, and color-changing formula makes it simple for any dentist to track the progress of the impression. It has superior durability and strength that lasts for even the toughest of impressions.
Net32 Price: $20.00
Our Final Assessment
Accuracy and high tear strength are the two features that any dentist looks for when searching for reliable alginate. Our top list has been carefully selected based on dentist recommendations, and out of our list, we at O360 recommend Cavex Cream for its rating with the Dental Advisor, its easy to work with formula, and its price.
Our second-best choice runs down to Kromopan due to its ability to last longer than seven days and its 30 second set time. Both of these choices present themselves as highly reliable sources for alginate, as these brands have been recommended by both DentalTown’s critics and members alike.
Both have relatively inexpensive pricing and can be purchased in various quantities, all the while providing the same amount of quality that dentists look for in their products. Our other mentioned products, such as Kromofaze and Triphasix, also provide relatively good quality in their alginate mixtures but don’t provide relief when it comes to their price and their set times. Overall, these selections have been curated by our members at 0360, as our marketing company aims to provide our services with an understanding of our dentists and healthcare members.
