A comparative evaluation of amount of gingival displacement produced by four different gingival displacement agents – An in vivo study

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare and evaluate the efficacy of ViscoStat clear, Vasozine, and Racegel (with and without cord) with respect to the amount of lateral gingival displacement produced by them. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Comparative - In vivo study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty consented volunteers were selected in the age group of 18–22 years. Maxillary right first premolar and lateral incisor and maxillary left central incisor and canine were selected for each individual. A composite resin standard reference point was made two millimeters below the gingival margin on the midsection of the labial surface of each tooth. By simple random sampling, the agents (ViscoStat clear, Vasozine, and Racegel with cord and Racegel without cord) were used for gingival displacement on each of the selected teeth. Pre- and postgingival displacement impressions were made with medium-body polyvinyl siloxane impression material. Three-millimeter thick buccolingual slice sections were obtained of the models and measured under a stereo microscope (×20 magnification), and the amount of displacement was calculated. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The Kruskal–Wallis test and the Mann–Whitney U-test were used for comparison between the amounts of gingival displacement produced by them. RESULTS: Mean displacement produced (in mm(2)) by Racegel with cord, tetrahydrozoline, ViscoStat clear, and Racegel is 0.2256, 0.2158, 0.2069, and 0.1414, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The largest mean gingival displacement was produced by Racegel with cord (0.2256 mm(2)) and lowest by Racegel without cord (0.1414 mm(2)). There was no significant statistical difference in the amount of gingival displacement produced between the four agents.