Physical properties and color stability of injection-molded thermoplastic denture base resins

Flexible Denture: A Literature Review

Careful consideration of material properties used to construct denture base material in removable partial dentures (RPDs) is required for a successful outcome. Because of nylon's flexible nature, nylon denture bases are a widely used alternative material to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) in RPDs. Flexible dentures help with retention by creating a seal around the denture's border. In this study, we review current evidence on flexible dentures and provide an overview of their uses, advantages, and disadvantages. We conducted electronic research of English-language articles written between 2018 and 2023 that addressed the different physical and mechanical properties of flexible dentures. Flexible dentures' water sorption did not exceed ISO standards. Other physical properties we investigated, such as color stability and polymerization shrinkage, were lower in flexible dentures than in PMMA. Mechanical properties showed a lower value compared to PMMA, such as surface roughness and hardness, and impact strength. However, flexural strength was controversial. Retention was better in PMMA compared to flexible dentures. Finally, the retention of acrylic teeth compared to flexible dentures was better with the provision of extra mechanical retention means. Therefore, it is important to examine flexible dentures' properties, indications, advantages, and disadvantages when offering patients this solution.

The effect of aging on hardness of heat cured denture base resin modified with recycled acrylic resin

BACKGROUND

The second rule of the 4Rs concept (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recover) was applied in this study using recycled acrylic resin to improve the hardness and study the effect of aging on the hardness of heat cured denture base resins.

METHOD

Forty heat-cured acrylic resin samples were prepared and divided into control and modified groups. The hardness was tested using a type D durometer hardness tester for evaluating the effect of the thermal aging process on the hardness in the control and modified groups. The samples were either subjected to thermal aging (the specimens thermo-cycled 10 cycles per day between 55°C and 5°C with a 30-s dwell time) or were not.

RESULTS

The mean difference in hardness between specimens with and without aging in the modified group increased with increasing concentrations of incorporated recycled acrylic resin. Independent samples t test revealed that the hardness values of modified groups with aging were significantly higher than in those without aging (p ≤ 0.05). ANOVA revealed that the modified group revealed a significant increase in hardness than that of the control group (p ≤ 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Recycling and reuse of acrylic resins improved the hardness of denture base resins. The aging period significantly affected the hardness values of the control and modified groups.

Effect of Denture Cleanser on the Physico-Mechanical Properties of Injection-Molded Thermoplastic Polyamides Denture Base Material: A preliminary Study

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the color stability, surface roughness, and flexural properties of the injection-molded thermoplastic polyamide Vertex ThermoSens denture base resin following a 3-minute immersion in Polident 3-minute denture cleanser.

Methods

Sixty specimens (Vertex ThermoSens) were processed and divided into two main groups (n = 30) based on the type of test. Group 1 was further subdivided into two subgroups (n = 15): the control group immersed in distilled water (G1DW) and the test group immersed in Polident cleanser solution (G1PD). Group 2 was divided into three subgroups: a non-immersed group (G2None), a group immersed in distilled water (G2DW), and a group immersed in Polident cleanser solution (G2PD). Color change (∆E) and surface roughness measurements were conducted for group 1, and flexural modulus (E) test was performed for group 2. The CIE Lab* formula was utilized to calculate ∆E. An optical 3D surface analyzer and a three-point bending test were employed for surface roughness and E assessments, respectively. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using a paired-sample t-test for differences within each group before and after immersion. Furthermore, independent-sample t-tests and one-way ANOVA were conducted to analyze differences between groups. A significance level of P < 0.05 was considered.

Results

The results revealed a slight, statistically insignificant (P > 0.05) ∆E in all color components (L*, a*, b*) after immersion in distilled water. However, after immersion in the denture cleanser, only the L* component exhibited a statistically significant ∆E (P = 0.002), which was slight in magnitude. Additionally, a significant difference was found in the ∆E between G1DW and G1PD, with G1PD showing a higher change (P = 0.007). A significant increase in surface roughness after immersion was observed in G1PD (P = 0.017), with a notable difference between G1DW and G1PD. However, the E remained unaffected (P = 0.537).

Conclusion

Denture cleansers have the potential to modify the properties of thermoplastic polyamide resin. Further research is needed to explore the clinical implications of these observed changes on denture performance.

Tensile Bond Strength between Different Denture Base Materials and Soft Denture Liners

(1) Background: Various materials are available for CAD-CAM denture base fabrication, for both additive and subtractive manufacturing. However, little has been reported on bond strength to soft denture liners. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate tensile bond strength, comparing between different denture base materials and soft denture liners. (2) Methods: Seven different materials were used for denture base fabrication: one heat-polymerized polymethyl methacrylate, three materials for subtractive manufacturing, two materials for additive manufacturing and one polyamide. Two materials were used for soft denture lining: one silicone-based and one acrylate-based. The study was conducted according to the specification ISO No. 10139-2:2016, and the type of failure was determined. The Kruskal-Wallis test with Dunn's post hoc test was used to analyse the values of tensile bond strength, and Fisher's exact test was used to analyse the type of failure. p Values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. (3) Results: The tensile bond strength values were not statistically significantly different combining all the materials used for denture base fabrication with the acrylate-based soft denture liner (p > 0.05), and the average values ranged between 0.19 and 0.25 Mpa. The tensile bond strength values of the different denture base materials and silicone-based denture liner were statistically significantly different (p < 0.05), and the average values ranged between 1.49 and 3.07 Mpa. The type of failure was predominantly adhesive between polyamide and both additive-manufactured denture base materials in combination with the acrylate-based soft liner (p < 0.05). (4) Conclusions: The use of digital technologies in denture base fabrication can have an influence on different tensile bond strength values for soft denture liners, with different types of failure when compared with heat-cured PMMA. Similar tensile bond strength values were found between the acrylate-based soft denture liner and denture base materials. Significant differences in tensile bond strength values were found between the silicone-based soft denture liner and denture base materials, where the additive-manufactured and polyamide denture base materials showed lower values than heat-cured PMMA and subtractive-manufactured denture base materials.

Comparison of Conventional Pressure-packed and Injection Molding Processing Methods for an Acrylic Resin Denture based on Microhardness, Surface Roughness, and Water Sorption

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is a widely used material in prosthetics and is used to fabricate denture bases. The main disadvantage of this material is its polymerization shrinkage which causes clinical problems during use. The present study aimed to investigate and compare the microhardness, surface roughness, and water sorption of a commercial acrylic resin denture, which were processed by two different methods including conventional and pressure-packed injection molding techniques. A total of 60 polymethyl methacrylate samples were prepared in two groups: conventional acrylic resin (vertex) for the compression molding method and injection acrylic resin (vertex) for the injection molding method (10 samples of each material per test). The microhardness test was performed using a Vickers microhardness test device, the surface roughness test was performed by using a profilometer, and the water sorption test was performed using a digital scale. Data were analyzed using an independent sample t-test with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 17. The significant level was considered to be 0.05. According to the results, there was a significant difference between microhardness, surface roughness, and water sorption of the samples in the two groups. The results of the independent t-test showed that the microhardness of injection vertex acrylic resin samples was significantly higher than that of conventional pressure-packed vertex acrylic resin samples (P value<0.05). Also, the surface roughness and water sorption of injection vertex acrylic resin samples were significantly lower than those of conventional pressure-packed vertex acrylic resin samples (P value <0.05). According to the obtained results, denture fabrication by the injection molding method can improve the quality and durability of dentures due to the increased microhardness, the decreased surface roughness, and the decreased water absorption of the denture base compared with the conventional method.

Comparison of the Effect of Denture Cleansers on Long-Term Water Sorption and Solubility of Polyetheretherketone with other Denture Base Materials

Objective: In this in vitro study, the effect of three denture cleansers (DCs) after immersion in a chemical solution applied to polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and other denture base materials (DBMs) on long-term water sorption and solubility was compared. Methods: Disk-shaped specimens (50±1.0-mm diameter and 0.5±0.1-mm thickness) were prepared from four DBMs (n=48). All specimens were randomly subdivided into four storage media groups (n=12): Corega tablet (CT), Protefix tablet (PT), 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solution (SH), and control (distilled water, DW). Storage media were renewed thrice a day for 120 days and simulated for 1-year use of overnight immersion. Water sorption and solubility (µg/mm3) of DBMs before and after immersion in storage media were examined and obtained data were statistically analyzed using a multivariate analysis of variance, followed by multiple comparisons by a posthoc Tukey’s test (p

3D Printing of Polyamide to Fabricate a Non-Metal Clasp Removable Partial Denture via Fused Filament Fabrication: A Case Report

The fabrication of a non-metal clasp removable partial denture (RPD) using polymethylmethacrylate in a fully digital workflow has been reported. According to some studies, the polyamide material may be alternatively used for this purpose. The authors are unaware of any reports concerning the additive manufacturing of polyamide. The current proof-of-concept dental technique describes the pathway to construct the non-metal clasp RPD using intraoral scanning and fused filament fabrication (FFF) printing of gingiva-colored polyamide. The present RPD showed acceptable fit and sufficient retention and was considered a valid temporary treatment option.

Flexural and fatigue properties of polyester disk material for milled resin clasps

To evaluate the flexural and fatigue properties of a polyester disk material used in milled resin clasps of removable partial dentures, experimental polyester disk (mPE), injection-molded polyester (iPE), and polymethyl methacrylate disk (mPMMA) were examined by three-point bending tests and cyclic fatigue tests at 0.75 or 1.50 mm deflection. The mPE exhibited significantly higher flexural strength than the iPE (p<0.05). Meanwhile, the mPMMA displayed higher flexural modulus and strength than the polyesters. The mPE exhibited a significantly lower residual strain than the iPE at the cyclic 0.75 mm deflection (p<0.05); however, microcracks were observed in the mPE at the 1.50 mm deflection. The mPMMA showed a high residual strain at the 0.75 mm deflection and fractured within 1,000 cycles at the 1.5 mm deflection. The higher flexural strength and lower residual strain of the mPE compared with the iPE suggest the advantages of milled resin clasps within a limited deflection.

Color stability of 3D-printed denture resins: effect of aging, mechanical brushing and immersion in staining medium

PURPOSE

This in-vitro study evaluated and compared the color stability of 3D-printed and conventional heat-polymerized acrylic resins following aging, mechanical brushing, and immersion in staining medium.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty disc-shaped specimens (10 mm in diameter and 3 mm thick) were prepared from two 3D-printed [DentaBASE (DB) and Denture 3D+ (D3D)] and one conventional polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) denture materials. The specimens were thermo-cycled, subjected to mechanical brushing, and were immersed in either coffee, lemon juice, coke, or artificial saliva (AS) to simulate one and two years of oral use. Color measurements of the specimens were recorded by a spectrophotometer at baseline (T0), and after one (T1) and two years (T2) of simulation. The color changes (∆E) were determined and also quantified according to the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) units. Descriptive statistics, followed by factorial ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test (α=.05), were applied for data analysis.

RESULTS

The independent factors, namely material, staining medium, and immersion time, and interaction among these factors significantly influenced ∆E (P<.009). Irrespective of the materials, treatments, and time, the highest and the lowest mean ∆Es were observed for PMMA in lemon juice (4.58 ± 1.30) and DB in AS (0.41 ± 0.18), respectively. Regarding the material type, PMMA demonstrated the highest mean ∆E (2.31 ± 1.37), followed by D3D (1.67 ± 0.66), and DB (0.85 ± 0.52), and the difference in ∆E between the materials were statistically significant (P<.001). All the specimens demonstrated a decreased color changes at T2 compared to T1, and this difference in mean ∆E was statistically significant (P<.001).

CONCLUSION

The color changes of 3D-printed denture resins were low compared to conventional heat polymerized PMMA. All the tested materials, irrespective of the staining medium used, demonstrated a significant decrease in ∆E values over time.