Outline the steps in the lost-wax casting process.

Outline the steps in the lost-wax casting process.

• A. Create wax pattern, invest in refractory, burn out wax, cast molten alloy, air-cool, divest, trim, and adjust
• B. Create wax pattern, pour molten metal directly, cool
• C. Create wax pattern, burn out, chill, polish
• D. Create model, press ceramic, sinter

Answer: (A)

Lost-wax casting in dentistry starts with making a wax replica of the desired restoration, then surrounding it with a refractory investment to form a precise mold. The wax is burned out to leave a hollow cavity in the shape of the pattern. Molten alloy is then cast into that cavity, and the metal is allowed to cool by air, which helps control crystallization and minimize stress. After casting, the investment is removed (divested), and the casting is trimmed of excess sprues and investment remnants. The final steps involve finishing and adjusting the restoration to ensure proper fit, occlusion, and margins. This sequence—wax pattern, invest, burn out, cast, air-cool, divest, trim, and adjust—is the standard lost-wax workflow.

Lost-wax casting in dentistry starts with making a wax replica of the desired restoration, then surrounding it with a refractory investment to form a precise mold. The wax is burned out to leave a hollow cavity in the shape of the pattern. Molten alloy is then cast into that cavity, and the metal is allowed to cool by air, which helps control crystallization and minimize stress. After casting, the investment is removed (divested), and the casting is trimmed of excess sprues and investment remnants. The final steps involve finishing and adjusting the restoration to ensure proper fit, occlusion, and margins. This sequence—wax pattern, invest, burn out, cast, air-cool, divest, trim, and adjust—is the standard lost-wax workflow.