A survey of the methods of disinfection of dental impressions used in dental hospitals in the United Kingdom.

The potential for cross-infection from microbial contaminated dental impressions has long been recognised. This study set out to investigate impression decontamination procedures currently used in UK dental hospitals (1995) and to see how these may have changed since a previous survey, carried out in 1988. A variety of disinfection solutions and regimes were highlighted both within and between dental hospitals. Several of the disinfecting solutions currently being used have not been specifically tested for efficacy with impression materials. The laboratories were asked to highlight any adverse reactions. Five laboratories reported that some alginates resulted in casts with poor surface properties when immersed in hypochlorite (0.1 and 1%), sodium dichloroisocyanurate, and 2% glutaraldehyde solutions. This paper highlights that there is no universally recognised impression disinfection/sterilisation protocol. It is recommended that all impressions should at least undergo a disinfecting procedure by immersion in 1% sodium hypochlorite for a minimum of 10 minutes.