A STEP-BY-STEP CAST GOLD LABORATORY FINISHING TECHNIQUE
Step 1. Divest casting from the bench cooled investment,
clean remaining investment from casting with a stiff bristle
brush and place in pickling solution.
Step 2. Check internal of casting for bubbles or nodules
and remove, if present, prior to carefully placing on die. Use
magnification.
Step 3. Try casting on die carefully - checking for open
margins, proper expansion and fit.
Step 4. If the casting fits, cut the casting from the
sprue with a separating disc and remove excess gold with a heatless
or suitable stone.
Step 5. Place casting on articulator to adjust contacts
area(s) and bite.
Step 6. Contact areas may be adjusted with a rubber wheel
or discs
Step 7. Smooth all accessible areas with 1/2 inch medium
garnet discs except the contact areas and the margins.
Step 8. Smooth all accessible areas with 1/2 inch fine
sand discs except the contact areas and the margins.
Step 9. Smooth all accessible areas including the margins
and contact areas with 1/2 inch fine cuttle discs. All scratches
from previous discing should not be visible at this stage.
Step 10. Lightly smooth all pits and fissures with a
#2 or #3 round carbide bur, correct contacts and occlusion.
The base of the pits and fissures may be smoothed and burnished
with a dull #1/2 round bur.
Step 11. Polish all occlusal anatomy with a Robertson
#11 standard soft bristle brush wheel and tripoli. An end brush
sharpened and tripoli may be used for deeper anatomy, also modified
brownies and greenies. A felt wheel and tripoli for the remaining
surfaces.
Step 12. Polish all surfaces with a #11 soft bristle
brush, felt wheel or chamois with rouge.
Step 13. Place casting in ultrasonic cleaner or use steam
cleaner. Inspect casting for removal of all polishing material
prior to replacing on die.
Note: All finishing should be done in the hand and not
on the stone die. Discs, brushes, burs and polishing wheels
should rotate from gold to margin and not vice versa. Dies should
not be washed or steam cleaned.
