Reestablishing Gold Color on Captek Crowns

One technique I’ve always enjoyed teaching is that of reestablishing gold color to Captek crowns. This technique gives our customers total control over the appearance of the Captek crown especially in the exposed external metal areas. Once practiced the technique can be completed in less than a minute - not including firing and can really make a big difference in the appearance of the cases you present to your doctors.

One of the esthetic merits of Captek is the high luster appearance of the gold surfaces. Contrary to some popular belief, the actual interface area between the Captek material and the ceramics should not exhibit this jewelry like shiny gold appearance. If you are seeing Captek that has this appearance on the ceramic interface area, it is likely due to the absence or insufficient application of the bonder or over firing of the bonder. The bonder and its application is another topic we will be addressing in the future. In the meantime, you should know that all Captek restorations that come from Dale Dental come with the bonder correctly applied with all non-ceramic-interfacing areas finished for a high gold luster.

Reestablishing Gold Color on the Outside of Captek Crowns

The reason for needing reestablish gold color is that slight degradation of the color over successive porcelain application firings. When you get your Captek understructures back from Dale Dental, you can proceed with your ceramic build up, it is not necessary or recommended to reestablish the gold color at this time. The regolding process begins once your ceramics are completed, stained and glazed. At this point you must first polish any remaining exposed metal areas on the outside of the crown. Never attempt to polish the inside of the Captek crown as this may affect the retentive properties of the material. (click on any image to enlarge)

Here is a polished band before reestablishing the gold color of a Captek crown.

Once these external surfaces are polished, we will apply a coat of the Inflow powder. The Inflow powder is a powder version of one of the materials used in the fabrication of the Captek coping. It is basically pure gold. The Inflow powder comes in a glass jar and should be mixed in a separate tray with the Captek Slow Dry liquid to a thick consistency. Once mixed, the material slurry should be applied with a brush to the exposed and highly polished metal areas. You can tap a metal instrument against your tweezer handle to smooth out the slurry.

This is what a thick consistency of Captek inflow material should look like.

Application of the Captek Inflow material to the external areas. Can be applied in the same fashion to metal linguals and other external metal features.

Smoothing out the Inflow material.

You can fire the crown on a regular peg or ceramic pillow. While using a pillow can be more convenient, care should be taken not to accidentally rub off any of the slurry mixture.

Captek crown with inflow shown before firing.

Here are the firing parameters for the regolding Inflow fire.  
Dry Time: 3 Minutes
Temp Rate (per min): 80C or 145F
High Temp 750c or 1382F
Hold Time: 1 Minute
No vac or cool time

After firing the Inflow slurry should have a dull appearance. A smooth metal instrument should be used to hand burnish the treated areas. After burnishing, the material will exhibit a high luster but with some remaining scratches created by the metal instrument during burnish. Note: I have heard of some technician’s air abrading with 50µm glass beads at 20 to 30 psi. However, in my experience, hand burnishing provides the most control over fit and minimizes any affects that air pressure against a margin might have.

Correct look of Inflow mateial after firing

Burnishing of the Captek margin after firing of Inflow material

Using 50 micron glass beads at 20 - 30 psi

For the last steps we will now polish out the scratches with a soft rubber wheel or rubber bullet. It is very important that care be taken not to over polish with the rubber wheel which would remove the surface gold just applied. Only a very light pressure should be necessary to remove any remaining scratches. Once the scratches are removed, you can proceed with final polishing with a soft bristle brush and gold polish.

Lightly removing any small scratches with rubber wheel.

Inflowed areas being polished to a high shine.

Reestablishing Gold Color on the Inside of Captek Crowns

Internal appearance of Captek crown. Note the very important stippled look is maintained even with a high gold luster.

Internal appearance of Captek crown. Note the very important stippled look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again, we will mix the Inflow powder with the Slow Dry liquid, but to a thin consistency instead of the thick consistency used for external attributes. This is an important distinction as a thick consistency can cause issues regarding fit. The rest of the procedure remains the same and fired using the same parameters. The fired material will appear dull as below.

This is what a thin consistency of Captek inflow material should look like.

Inside of Captek crown after Inflow application and firing.

Do not hand burnish the inside of the Captek crown and instead use air abrasion with 50µm glass beads at 20 -30 psi. The air abrasion should be carried out in short quick bursts.

Internal aspect of Captek crown after Inflow firing. Make sure air abrasion is carried out with short, light pulses.

 
This concludes the technique for reestablishing the gold on your Captek crowns. With just a little practice, you will become an expert in this technique in no time and your Captek restorations will look amazing. Good luck, have fun ad feel free to drop me a line or an email if you have any questions.

Tagged as: Captek, captek copings, Captek crowns, Dale Dental, Dental Outsourcing, gold color on Captek, Inflow, lingual bands, regold