The effects on nerve tissue of three dental impression pastes were compared in this study. Two of the impression pastes, Examix and Express 3M, contained vinyl polysiloxane while the other, Xanthopren, did not. An in vitro model based on the isolated sciatic nerve of the frog and rat was used. As an indication of the proper functioning of the fibres in the nerve, the amplitude of evoked compound action potential (CAP) was monitored continuously. The results clearly showed that the number of active nerve fibres in the isolated sciatic nerves of either rat or frog exposed directly to impression pastes containing vinyl polysiloxane, decreased much faster than those of the nerves in contact to impression material without vinyl polysiloxane. When the nerve of the frog was exposed to Xanthopren there was a decrease in the CAP to 50% of the control values within 56.87+/-2.42 h (n=6). This value was called inhibition time to 50%, IT(50) and for Examix it was found to be 9.97+/-1.53 h. When the nerve of the rat was exposed to Xanthopren, the IT(50) was 15.34+/-2.97 h (n=6) for the Xanthopren and only 2.86+/-1.20 h for Examix and 2.76+/-0.48 h for Express 3M (n=6). There was no significant difference between the action of the last two compounds (P=0.85). This fast nerve fibre inactivation could be caused either by the chemical used for the synthesis of the two impression pastes, Examix and Express 3M, or by the unusual constriction of the nerve when it is embedded in the materials with vinyl polysiloxane. There is strong evidence to support the first case, since the incubation of the nerve in the presence of Examix, Express 3M and Xantopren in a way so the nerve was not in contact with the impression pastes, shows a much faster decrease of the CAP in the presence of the first two pastes. The decrease is caused by the death of nerve fibres, since there is no recovery in the CAP after the removal of Examix from the incubating saline.