Strength testing of dental stone: a comparison of compressive, tensile, transverse, and shear strength tests.

The strength of two dental stones under three standard test regimens and two novel testing modes is reported. It was found under all test regimens that the water/powder ratio significantly affected the strength of the two gypsum products in a similar manner. It was established that the new central fulcrum loading mode gave strength data directly related to that determined in the conventional transverse strength test which requires larger test specimens.