Final answer:
A dental stone mixture during the setting phase will undergo expansion due to the crystallization and calcification processes. This expansion is managed within the properties of the dental stone to effectively work in the oral environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the setting phase, a dental stone mixture will exhibit expansion. This phenomenon is related to the crystallization process, where the formation of crystal structures causes the material to expand. Similar to how thermal stress can lead to the expansion of dental fillings which then causes pain or cracks, the setting of dental stone also involves changes in volume. However, unlike metal fillings that might not bond well with bone due to different expansion coefficients, dental stone materials are designed to manage such expansions to ensure they work effectively within the oral environment.
The dental stone material, once mixed with water, begins to harden through a process called calcification, the deposition of mineral salts in the collagen fiber matrix that crystallizes and hardens the tissue. This calcification process is crucial because without the adequate inorganic material, the dental tissue could bend, or without the corresponding organic structure, it could break.