The art and craft of recording intra-oral anatomy successfully with dental impressions relies on the interaction of three critical factors--the 'golden triangle of impression-taking': an appreciation of the anatomical features to be recorded, the material used to take the impression and the clinical handling/operative technique applied. This paper aims to discuss the three factors and their inter-relationships, detailing clinical tips for successful, reproducible and consistent outcomes.
Clinical relevance: Obtaining accurate dental impressions is the key to success in a wide range of clinical restorative procedures. This paper offers clinical advice to practitioners to plan and then take predictable, good quality impressions for their restorative cases.