You can get a clean pan for the heater at the supply desk.
Because there is only one compound heater to a table in the preclinic, students do not use them when border molding. Of course, when they come to the clinic they forget to use them. You can't border mold without the use of a compound heater.
When you warm the compound in a flame it is too hot for the patient. Students usually wave the impression tray in the air to cool down the compound.
The purpose of the compound heater is to COOL down the compound so it will not burn the patient, and still have the right consistency to capture the denture borders. The different colors of the compound signifies the softening temperature.
| Soft Green | 122-124oF |
(50-51oC) |
| Grey | 128-130oF | (53-54oC) |
| Red | 132-133oF | (55-56oC) |
Allow the water to heat no higher than 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use a clean pan. Fill the pan with warm water up to the raised notch or black line inside the pan. Make sure the heater is working by feeling the warm water. Just because the red light is on does not mean the heater is working.
Put the heater on at least ten minutes before you need it. In that way you will not have to wait for the heater to warm up. You will also have the opportunity to find out if the heater is working.
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©1999 by Julius Rosen, D.D.S.