The impact of Streptococcus mutans biofilms on the color stability and topographical features of three lithium disilicate ceramics.

PURPOSE: Secondary caries around ceramic restorations is the most common reason for the replacement of fixed dental prostheses (FDPs). Therefore, it is important to examine the susceptibility of different ceramic materials to biofilm formation. This study aimed to evaluate biofilm development and associated roughness and color alterations in three lithium disilicate ceramics: Emax CAD (EC), Emax Press (EP), and LiSi Press (LP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Streptococcus mutans biofilms were grown on the three ceramics (n = 10 per group) for 7 days. Surface roughness values and color alteration were assessed before and after the biofilm using a non-contact profilometer and spectrophotometer, respectively. Biofilm growth was evaluated using colony-forming units (CFUs) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests. RESULTS: There was a significant (p ≤ 0.001) growth of S. mutans colonies on EC (6.75 ± 0.56) and EP (6.72 ± 0.54) specimens compared to LP, which showed no biofilm growth. The change in average surface roughness (∆Ra, nm) was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the EC specimens (0.029 ± 0.003) compared to the EP (0.055 ± 0.012) and LP (0.041 ± 0.010). When the changes in the Rv and Rt values were investigated, no significant difference was observed among the groups. Following the biofilm challenge, the change in color (∆E00) was significantly lower (p = 0.005) in the LP group (1.68 ± 1.45) compared to the EC group (3.89 ± 1.50) and no significant difference was observed between the EP group (2.74 ± 1.01) and the other two ceramics (p ≥ 0.05). CONCLUSION: LP ceramics exhibited superior resistance to S. mutans biofilm formation and associated changes in surface roughness and color compared to the Emax CAD and Emax Press ceramics. These findings suggest that the LiSi Press material may be more favorable to mitigate the risk of secondary caries.

Effect of treated zirconium dioxide nanoparticles on the flexural properties of autopolymerized resin for interim fixed restorations: An in vitro study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Fractures of interim fixed restorations are a common complication. The autopolymerized polymethyl methacrylate resin materials used for interim fixed restorations have limited mechanical properties, but whether adding treated zirconium dioxide nanoparticles improves mechanical properties is unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of treated zirconium dioxide nanoparticles on the flexural strength and elastic modulus of autopolymerized polymethyl methacrylate resin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A split-metal mold (60×10×3.3 mm) was used to fabricate 40 autopolymerized acrylic resin specimens. The specimens were divided into 4 groups (n=10) according to zirconium dioxide nanoparticle concentration: control (unmodified resin) and zirconium dioxide nanoparticle contents of 1, 2.5, and 5 wt%. The specimens were mixed and polymerized according to the manufacturer's instructions and stored in distilled water for 48 ±2 hours at 37 °C. The flexural strength and elastic modulus were evaluated based on the 3-point bend test where data were analyzed by using 1-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc tests (α=.05). RESULTS: The flexural strength of the 1-wt% zirconium dioxide nanoparticle specimens was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<.001) but did not significantly increase further with the higher nanoparticle content (P>.05). Elastic modulus significantly decreased with 2.5-wt% zirconium dioxide nanoparticles (P=.019), while no significant changes were found with other test groups (P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of treated zirconium dioxide nanoparticles at low concentrations increased the flexural strength of autopolymerized polymethyl methacrylate resins used in fixed interim restorations.

Double-layered acrylic resin denture base with nanoparticle additions: An in vitro study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Whether the addition of different antifungal nanoparticles to denture base materials may affect physical or esthetic properties of the resulting nanocomposite is unclear. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine how a new method of adding antifungal nanofiller affects the properties of the processed nanocomposite denture base material. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Heat-polymerized acrylic resin specimens were prepared according to each test specification. Zirconium dioxide nanoparticles (ZrO2NPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were added in 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% of acrylic resin powder. The specimens were divided into 2 groups according to the acrylic resin packing method: 1 layer packed conventionally in one step and 2 layers packed in 2 steps, first with unmodified acrylic resin and then by a thin layer of modified acrylic resin before the final closure. The control group was made of unaltered acrylic resin in 1 step. Flexural strength (FS), translucency, and surface roughness (Ra) were measured. A microbial assay was performed by using the direct culture and slide count methods. Three-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests were used to identify statistical differences among groups (α=.05). RESULTS: The addition of ZrO2NPs and AgNPs in the 1- or 2-layer specimens reduced Candida albicans adhesion (P<.001). In the 1- and 2-layer specimens, FS significantly increased with ZrO2NPs. AgNPs decreased FS only in the 1-layer specimen (P<.001). Surface roughness was not changed for the 1- and 2-layer specimens with ZrO2NPs or the 1-layer specimen with 0.5% AgNPs (P>.05), while other AgNP groups exhibited increased surface roughness (P<.001). AgNPs significantly lowered translucency in the 1- and 2-layer specimens (P<.001), while ZrO2NPs decreased translucency only in the 1-layer specimen (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of ZrO2NPs in the double-layer technique decreased Candida adhesion and improved FS without affecting surface roughness, while AgNPs decreased Candida adhesion and FS and increased surface roughness. Both nanofillers decreased the translucency except 0.5% ZrO2NPs, which did not change translucency when applied in 2 layers.

Comparative Effect of Different Surface Treatments on the Shear Bond Strength of Two Types of Artificial Teeth Bonded To Two Types of Denture Base Resins.

PURPOSE: This in vitro study aims to assess the impact of various surface treatments on the shear bond strength (SBS) of two types of artificial teeth and denture base resins (DBRs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two types of DBRs (CAD/CAM-milled and heat-polymerized) and two types of denture teeth (acrylic and composite) were investigated. Teeth were cut into slices (5 × 5 × 2 mm) and divided according to surface treatment into four subgroups (n = 10): no treatment (control), air abrasion (Alumina-blasting; AB), bur roughening, and dichloromethane (DCM) subgroups. According to manufacturer recommendations, the treated tooth slices were bonded to the acrylic disk of DBRs. The SBS test was performed using a universal testing machine. ANOVA was used for results analysis followed by Tukey's post hoc tests (α = 0.05). RESULTS: DCM and AB increased the SBS of acrylic teeth to heat-polymerized DBR compared with other groups (p < 0.001). All surface treatments showed no significant difference in CAD/CAM DBR with acrylic teeth (p = 0.059; AB, p = 0.319; bur roughening, p = 0.895; DCM), while there was a significant decrease in SBS with composite teeth (p ˂ 0.001). Between teeth, acrylic teeth showed a statistically significant increase in SBS compared to composite teeth (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: AB and DCM application improved the SBS for acrylic teeth with the heat-polymerized DBR when compared with the untreated group, but none of the surface treatment agents showed significant improvement with CAD/CAM DBR. All surface treatment agents reduced the SBS for composite teeth with CAD/CAM DBR while AB only increased the SBS with heat-polymerized DBR.

The Bond Strength of a Universal Adhesive System with Silane to Lithium Disilicates in Comparison with an Isolated Silane Coupling Agent.

PURPOSE: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effects of different durations of silane coupling agent application compared to a universal adhesive system regarding the shear bond strength of two ceramic materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 120 human molars were ground to the dentinal coronal third and then fixed into an acrylic resin holder. Lithium disilicate specimens were divided into two main groups according to the ceramic type: computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing IPS e.max CAD and heat-pressed Initial LiSi Press GC (dimensions of 4 × 3× 3 mm). Each main group was subdivided into 6 subgroups (n = 10) according to the duration of the silane and universal adhesive system application (20, 60, or 120 seconds) on the ceramic surface before cementation; then, the cementation procedures were performed. All specimens were subjected to 5000 thermal cycles at 5 and 55°C before testing. The shear bond strength was measured using a universal testing machine. ANOVA and Scheffe post hoc test multiple comparisons tests were conducted (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The shear bond strength increased as the duration of the silane and universal adhesive system application increased. The highest bond value for each material was found for the silane application at 120 seconds, with a significant difference between 120 and 60, and 20 seconds for both e. max CAD and Initial LiSi materials (p = 0.029 and p ˂ 0.001, respectively). No significant difference was found between 60 and 20 seconds when silane and universal adhesive system were applied for both e. max CAD and Initial LiSi materials (p = 0.169 and p = 0.120, respectively). All groups treated with the silane primer showed significantly higher values than the universal adhesive system for each application time (p ˂ 0.001). CONCLUSION: Increasing the duration of the silane coupling agent and universal adhesive system application to 120 seconds on the ceramic surface before cementation improved the shear bond strength of the ceramic-cement interface. Ceramic pretreatment with silane could be an essential step for bonding ceramic to dentin regardless of silane presence in the universal adhesive system.

Comparative Study of the Effectiveness of Laboratory-Formulated Polishing Pastes for Two CAD/CAM Ceramic Restorative Materials.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of different polishing pastes with different particle sizes on the surface finish of two different CAD/CAM ceramics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 128 specimens were prepared of two CAD/CAM ceramics: lithium disilicate (12.4 × 14.5 × 2 mm) and monolithic zirconia (17.5 × 12.5 × 2.5 mm). They were divided randomly into 8 groups according to surface treatment (n = 8). Group 1 (control) was left as received after crystallization or sintering with no further surface treatment; Group 2 (glazed); Group 3 (positive control), where specimens were polished using standardized surface treatment (medium grit silicon carbide discs, rubber cup and pumice slurry, then rubber cup and toothpaste). For groups 4 to 8, in addition to silicon carbide and pumice slurry polishing, specimens were further polished using a diamond paste (DP), and polishing pastes of microzirconia (MZ), nanosilica (NS), nanodiamond (ND), and nanozirconia (NZ), respectively. Surface roughness (Ra ) was measured using noncontact profilometer. The mean values were compared using ANOVA and Post Hoc Tukey's test (α = 0.05). Specimens' surfaces were studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). RESULTS: Positive control group and MZ exhibited significant Ra of lithium disilicate compared to control (p ˂ 0.001), glazed (p = 0.001), DPs (p = 0.002), NS (p ˂ 0.001), ND (p ˂ 0.001), and NZ (p = 0.002). In the case of zirconia, positive control showed a significantly higher Ra compared to all other groups (p ˂ 0.001). No statistical difference was found between all other polishing techniques (positive control, glazed, DPs, NS, ND, MZ, and NZ) (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Polishing with ND, NZ, and NS lab-formulated pastes produced surfaces with comparable smoothness to control and glazed specimens for lithium disilicate and zirconia ceramic materials.

Strength and Surface Properties of a 3D-Printed Denture Base Polymer.

PURPOSE: This in vitro study evaluated the flexural strength, impact strength, hardness, and surface roughness of 3D-printed denture base resin subjected to thermal cycling treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: According to ISO 20795-1:2013 standards, 120 acrylic resin specimens (40/flexural strength test, 40/impact strength, and 40/surface roughness and hardness test, n = 10) were fabricated and distributed into two groups: heat-polymerized; (Major.Base.20) as control and 3D-printed (NextDent) as experimental group. Half of the specimens of each group were subjected to 10,000 thermal cycles of 5 to 55°C simulating 1 year of clinical use. Flexural strength (MPa), impact strength (KJ/m2 ), hardness (VHN), and surface roughness (µm) were measured using universal testing machine, Charpy's impact tester, Vickers hardness tester, and profilometer, respectively. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey honestly significant difference (HSD) test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The values of flexural strength (MPa) were 86.63 ± 1.0 and 69.15 ± 0.88; impact strength (KJ/m2 )-6.32 ± 0.50 and 2.44 ± 0.31; hardness (VHN)-41.63 ± 2.03 and 34.62 ± 2.1; and surface roughness (µm)-0.18 ± 0.01 and 0.12 ± 0.02 for heat-polymerized and 3D-printed denture base materials, respectively. Significant differences in all tested properties were recorded between heat-polymerized and 3D-printed denture base materials (P < 0.001). Thermal cycling significantly lowered the flexural strength (63.93 ± 1.54 MPa), impact strength (2.40 ± 0.35 KJ/m2 ), and hardness (30.17 ± 1.38 VHN) of 3D-printed resin in comparison to thermal cycled heat-polymerized resin, but surface roughness showed non-significant difference (p = 0.262). CONCLUSION: 3D-printed resin had inferior flexural strength, impact strength, and hardness values than heat-polymerized resin, but showed superior surface roughness. Temperature changes (thermal cycling) significantly reduced the hardness and flexural strength and increased surface roughness, but did not affect the impact strength.

Closed Repair Technique: Innovative Surface Design for Polymethylmethacrylate Denture Base Repair.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the repair strength of a newly introduced repair technique involving zero-gap repair width. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 36 rectangular prism specimens with dimensions of 64 × 10 × 3.3 mm were prepared from heat-polymerized acrylic resin. Nine specimens were kept intact. The other specimens were sectioned into halves and modified to create repair gaps of 2.5-mm beveled (2.5B) as control, 0-mm beveled (ZB), and 0-mm inverse bi-beveled (ZIBB). The ZIBB group was prepared with a V-shaped internal groove on both halves (repair tunnel), while the intaglio and cameo surfaces were kept intact except for two small holes at the cameo surface for repair resin injection. The 2.5B and ZB groups were repaired conventionally while the ZIBB group was repaired by injecting repair resin into the tunnel through one of the holes until excess material oozed from the other hole. Repaired specimens were thermally cycled at 5 and 55°C for 10,000 cycles with 1 min dwell time. A 3-point bending test was conducted using a universal testing machine for flexural strength and elastic modulus measurement. Kruskal-Wallis/Mann-Whitney tests and ANOVA/post hoc Tukey tests were applied for data analysis (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The flexural strength of repaired specimens was substantially lower than that of intact specimens, and significant differences were present between repaired groups (p ˂ 0.05). ZB and ZIBB had higher flexural strength (p ˂ 0.001) and elastic modulus (p ˂ 0.05) than 2.5B. Among the ZB and ZIBB groups, ZB showed the highest flexural strength, and ZIBB had the highest elastic modulus. CONCLUSION: The closed repair technique improved the flexural strength and elastic modulus of repaired acrylic denture base.

Acid Effects on the Physical Properties of Different CAD/CAM Ceramic Materials: An in Vitro Analysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the flexural strength, elastic modulus, microhardness, and surface roughness of monolithic zirconia, lithium disilicate ceramics, and feldspathic ceramics after being exposed to different acidic solutions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rectangular specimens (n = 180) were prepared from three different ceramic materials: lithium disilicate, monolithic zirconia, and feldspathic porcelain. Initial Surface roughness of ninety specimens (n = 30/material) was evaluated using an optical noncontact profilometer. Thirty specimens of each material were immersed in one of the following solutions (n = 10/group): citric acid; acidic beverage; and artificial saliva, which served as the control. Post immersion surface roughness, flexural strength, and elastic modulus were determined using an optical noncontact profilometer and three-point bending test. Another thirty specimens of each material were immersed in the aqueous solutions (n = 10/group) following the same protocol and subjected to microhardness test using a Vickers diamond microhardness tester. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to examine the surface characteristics changes. ANOVA and Post-hoc Tukey's Kramer tests were used for data analysis (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Immersion in different solutions did not affect the flexural strength and elastic modulus of lithium disilicate or zirconia. Microhardness and surface roughness were significantly affected in all groups (p < 0.05). For feldspathic porcelain groups, the flexural strength and elastic modulus were significantly decreased in the citric acid group (p = 0.045 and p = 0.019). Also, there were significant differences among all feldspathic porcelain groups (p = 0.001) in terms of microhardness and surface roughness values. CONCLUSIONS: The tested acidic agents significantly affected the flexural strength, elastic modulus, surface roughness, and microhardness of feldspathic porcelain. However, the flexural strength and elastic modulus of evaluated lithium disilicate and zirconia did not change significantly.

Effects of Denture Cleansers on the Flexural Strength of PMMA Denture Base Resin Modified with ZrO2 Nanoparticles.

PURPOSE: The additions of zirconium oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZrO2 ) to denture base materials have produced nanocomposites with satisfactory properties, although there is a lack of research investigating the effects of denture cleansers on these materials. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of denture cleansers on the flexural strength of denture base materials modified with nano-ZrO2 . MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 270 specimens were fabricated from pure and nano-ZrO2 reinforced acrylic resins at 2.5% and 5%, resulting in 3 main groups. The groups were further divided into subgroups (n = 10) according to immersion solution (distilled water, Corega, sodium hypochlorite, and Renew) and immersion duration. Flexural strength was measured at baseline (T0 ) in distilled water and after 180 and 365 days of immersion (T1 and T2 ) in denture cleansers. Data were collected and analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The flexural strength of the nano-ZrO2 modified denture base material decreased significantly after immersion in different denture cleansers at different immersion durations in comparison to baseline (T0 ) (p < 0.001). Sodium hypochlorite showed the highest reduction in flexural strength followed by Corega, while Renew cleansing solution resulted in the least change. CONCLUSION: Denture cleansers can significantly affect the flexural strength of nano-ZrO2 modified denture base materials and thus should be used cautiously.

Flexural and Surface Properties of PMMA Denture Base Material Modified with Thymoquinone as an Antifungal Agent.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of addition of different concentrations of thymoquinone (TQ) on the flexural strength, elastic modulus, surface roughness, and hardness of PMMA denture base material. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 160 rectangular specimens were prepared from heat-polymerized acrylic resin, with dimensions of 65 × 10 × 2.5 mm3 for flexural strength testing and 10 × 20 × 3 mm3 for surface property testing. The specimens were divided into eight groups of 20 specimens: one control group without addition of TQ and seven test groups prepared by adding TQ to acrylic powder in concentrations of 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, and 5 wt%. The polymer was added to the monomer before being mixed, packed, and processed using the conventional water bath method. A universal testing machine was used to measure flexural strength and elastic modulus. A profilometer and a Vickers hardness tester were used to measure surface roughness and hardness, respectively. One-way ANOVA and the Tukey-Kramer multiple-comparison test were used for statistical analysis, with statistical significance at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Addition of TQ to PMMA denture base material significantly decreased flexural strength and elastic modulus at high concentrations (p < 0.01), while no significant differences were observed at low concentrations (0.5%, 1% TQ) in comparison with the control group. At high TQ concentrations, surface roughness increased while hardness decreased (p < 0.0001), and no significant differences were observed at low concentrations (0.5%, 1% TQ) in comparison with the control group. The most favorable addition values were 0.5% and 1% TQ in all TQ groups. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of TQ did not affect the flexural and surface properties of PMMA denture base material at low concentrations (0.5%, 1% TQ) and could be incorporated into PMMA denture base material as an antifungal agent.

Influence of Addition of Different Nanoparticles on the Surface Properties of Poly(methylmethacrylate) Denture Base Material.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the surface properties (roughness and hardness) of poly(methylmethacrylate) denture base material modified with zirconium dioxide (ZNPs), silicon dioxide (SNPs), and diamond (DNPs) nanoparticles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred sixty heat-polymerized acrylic resin disks (15 × 2 mm) were prepared. ZNPs, SNPs, and DNPs were added in concentrations of 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.5%, and 5.0% by weight of acrylic powder. This yielded a total of 13 groups for each test according to filler type and concentration (n = 10/group). The control group was made of pure acrylic. A mechanical polisher was used to standardize specimens' surfaces before testing. A profilometer and Vickers hardness indenter were used to test the surface roughness and hardness, respectively. ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests were used for data analysis (α = 0.05). RESULTS: In comparison to control, results showed a nonsignificant increase in surface roughness (Ra ) of acrylic material after the addition of 0.5% nanoparticles (ZNPs p = 0.168, SNPs p = 0.166, and DNPs p = 0.177), while a significant increase was seen with all other concentrations (p ˂ 0.05). Ra values of ZNP and DNP groups were significantly higher than those of the SNPs group (p < 0.001). The addition of any of the fillers to acrylic denture base materials significantly increased the hardness (p ˂ 0.05), with ZNPs and DNPs having values lower than those of the SNPs group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Although nanofiller addition increased the hardness of denture base material, Ra was adversely affected when the concentration exceeded 0.5%. Therefore, 0.5% is suggested to be the most appropriate ratio to improve hardness with acceptable Ra .

Comparative Effect of Glass Fiber and Nano-Filler Addition on Denture Repair Strength.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the effects of glass fiber (GF), Zirconium oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZrO2 ), and silicon dioxide nanoparticles (nano-SiO2 ) addition on the flexural strength and impact strength of repaired denture base material. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Heat-polymerized acrylic resin specimens were fabricated. All specimens were sectioned centrally and beveled creating 2.5 mm repair gap except for 10 controls. Specimen grouping (n = 10/group) was done according to filler concentration of 0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, and 0.75% of auto-polymerized acrylic powder. Modified resin was mixed, packed in the repair gap, polymerized, finished and polished. Three-point bending test and Charpy type impact testing were done. Data were analyzed using one-way-ANOVA and Post-Hoc Tukey test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: All additives significantly increased flexural strength and impact strength (p < 0.05). Within the modified subgroups, no significant differences were found for GF. Significant increase for nano-ZrO2 and significant decrease for nano-SiO2 as the concentration of additive increased were noted for both flexural strength and impact strength. Highest flexural strength was found with 0.75%-nano-ZrO2 (69.59 ± 2.52MPa) and the lowest was found with 0.75%-nano-SiO2 (53.82 ± 3.10MPa). The 0.25%-nano-SiO2 showed the highest impact strength value (2.54 ± 0.21 kJ/m2 ) while the lowest impact strength value was seen with 0.75%-nano-SiO2 (1.54 ± 0.17 kJ/m2 ). CONCLUSION: Nano-filler effect was concentration dependent and its addition to repair resin increased the flexural and impact strengths. The incorporation of 0.75%-ZrO2 or 0.25%-SiO2 into repair resin proved to be a promising technique to enhance repair strength and avoid repeated fractures.

Comparative Effect of Different Polymerization Techniques on the Flexural and Surface Properties of Acrylic Denture Bases.

PURPOSE: Polymerization techniques have been modified to improve physical and mechanical properties of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) denture base, as have the laboratory procedures that facilitate denture construction techniques. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of autoclave polymerization on flexural strength, elastic modulus, surface roughness, and the hardness of PMMA denture base resins. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Major Base and Vertex Implacryl heat-polymerized acrylic resins were used to fabricate 180 specimens. According to the polymerization technique, tested groups were divided into: group I (water-bath polymerization), group II (short autoclave polymerization cycle, 60°C for 30 minutes, then 130°C for 10 minutes), and group III (long autoclave polymerization cycle, 60°C for 30 minutes, then 130°C for 20 minutes). Each group was divided into two subgroups based on the materials used. Flexural strength and elastic modulus were determined by a three-point bending test. Surface roughness and hardness were evaluated with a profilometer and Vickers hardness (VH) test, respectively. One-way ANOVA and the Tukey-Kramer multiple-comparison test were used for results analysis, which were statistically significant at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Autoclave polymerization showed a significant increase in flexural strength and hardness of the two resins (p < 0.05). The elastic modulus showed a significant increase in the major base resin, while a significant decrease was seen for Vertex Implacryl in all groups (p < 0.05); however, there was no significant difference in surface roughness between autoclave polymerization and water-bath polymerization (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Autoclave polymerization significantly increased the flexural properties and hardness of PMMA denture bases, while the surface roughness was within acceptable clinical limits. For a long autoclave polymerization cycle, it could be used as an alternative to water-bath polymerization.

Impact of Denture Cleansing Solution Immersion on Some Properties of Different Denture Base Materials: An In Vitro Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of several denture cleansing solutions on the color stability, surface roughness, and flexural strength of three denture base materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-seven specimens were prepared using heat-polymerized (HP) denture base material, 27 using autopolymerized (AP) denture base material, and 27 using visible-light-polymerized (VLP) denture base, creating a total of 81 specimens. The specimens were randomly divided into three groups (n = 27): the distilled water group (DWG), Corega group (CG), and Renew group (RG). Color changes (ΔE), surface roughness (Ra, nm), and flexural strength (MPa) of each specimen were measured using a spectrophotometer, an optical profilometer, and a universal testing machine, respectively. The results were statistically analyzed using a one-way ANOVA and a post hoc Tukey's test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The only statistically significant color change detected was in the VLP resin treated with Corega and Renew. There was a significant increase in the surface roughness of all denture resin groups after immersion in Corega. Immersion in Renew significantly increased surface roughness only in the HP and AP specimens. The only significant reduction in flexural strength was detected in the HP resin after immersion in Corega (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that Corega has a significantly greater negative impact than distilled water on the flexural strength of HP resin base materials. Renew significantly increased the surface roughness of AP and HP, while Corega increased the surface roughness of all resin materials.

Effect of Repair Gap Width on the Strength of Denture Repair: An In Vitro Comparative Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of repair gap width on the flexural strength and impact strength of a repaired acrylic denture with and without thermal cycling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 240 heat-polymerized acrylic resin specimens were fabricated in dimensions of 65 × 10 × 2.5 ± 0.2 mm and 55 × 10 × 10 ± 0.2 mm for flexural strength and impact strength testing, respectively. All specimens were sectioned into halves then divided into 6 groups according to repair gap width (n = 10). The repair gap of the control group was 2.5 mm at the base, while the repair gaps of the test groups were prepared as 2.0, 1.5, 1.0, 0.5, and 0 mm at the base. All specimens were prepared with a 45° bevel joint. Each specimen was placed into the mold that retained the original length of the specimen and modified only the repair gap, which was packed with repair resin. After polymerization, specimens were finished and polished, and half of the specimens were thermal cycled for 5000 cycles. Three-point bending test and Charpy impact test were used to determine the flexural strength and impact strength, respectively. ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test were used for statistical analysis, where α was set at 0.05. RESULTS: Decreasing repair gap significantly increased the flexural strength in comparison to control group (p < 0.05); 0.5-mm repair gap showed the highest flexural strength values. Changing the repair gap significantly increased the impact strength of groups 2.0- and 1.5-mm (p < 0.05). Thermal cycling significantly decreased the flexural strength of all tested groups as well as impact strength for groups with wide repair gaps (2.5-, 2.0-, and 1.5-mm) (p < 0.05), while other tested groups had nonsignificant effect on impact strength (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Decreasing repair gap increased the flexural and impact strengths of repaired acrylic resin. A repair gap of 0-, 0.5-, or 1.0-mm with beveled repair surface is recommended to improve repair strength and overcome the drawbacks of increased amounts of autopolymerized repair resin.

Fabrication of an Implant-Supported Fixed Interim Prosthesis Using a Duplicate Denture: An Alternative Technique.

The fabrication of an implant-supported fixed complete denture prosthesis involves multiple clinical and laboratory steps. One of the main steps is to provide the patient with an interim fixed prosthesis to evaluate the patient's esthetic and functional needs as well as to enhance the patient's psychology before proceeding to the definitive prosthesis. Different techniques for fabricating interim prostheses have been described in the literature. This report describes an alternative technique that uses a duplicate denture made of self-curing acrylic resin to fabricate an implant-supported fixed interim prosthesis. The interim prosthesis was later used as a blueprint for the definitive implant-supported hybrid prosthesis.

Conservative Approaches to Replacing Congenitally Missing Maxillary Lateral Incisors: Case Series.

Management of missing lateral incisors presents a challenge to attaining optimum esthetics and must be preceded by careful examination of areas of missing teeth and the relationship to adjacent soft and hard tissues. This case series describes various approaches and techniques for managing missing lateral incisors. These techniques were chosen depending mainly on the amount of space in mesiodistal and insiocervical dimensions. The amount of underlying bone played an important role in selecting the treatment modalities.

The Effect of Salivary pH on the Flexural Strength and Surface Properties of CAD/CAM Denture Base Materials.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different salivary pH on flexural strength, hardness, and surface roughness of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) milled and three-dimensional (3D)-printed denture base resins. METHODS: One heat-polymerized, two CAD/CAM milled (IvoCad, AvaDent), and two 3D-printed (FormLabs, NextDent) denture base resins were fabricated and divided into five groups (n = 10) according to the solutions: three groups were immersed in different salivary pH (5.7, 7.0, or 8.3), one group was immersed in distilled water (DW) as a positive control, and one group had no immersion (negative control). All immersions were performed at 37°C for 90 days. Flexural strength, hardness, and surface roughness were measured before and after immersion. Data was analyzed with analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey's test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: After immersion, all specimens had lower flexural strength values when compared with those with no immersion. Comparing the immersion groups, the highest flexural strength value (93.96 ± 3.18 MPa) was recorded with IvoCad after immersion in DW while the lowest value (60.43 ± 2.66 MPa) was recorded with NextDent after being immersed in 7.0 pH saliva. All specimens had significant decrease in hardness except IvoCad and AvaDent specimens where both presented the highest surface hardness (53.76 ± 1.60 Vickers hardness number [VHN]) after immersion in DW while NextDent showed the lowest hardness value (24.91 ± 2.13 VHN) after being immersed in 8.3 pH saliva. There was statistically significant difference between the baseline and different artificial salivary pH solutions in terms of surfaces roughness, with the highest surface roughness were found in 3D-printed resin materials. CONCLUSION: After exposure to artificial saliva with different salivary pH, the milled CAD/CAM denture base resins showed higher flexural strength, hardness, and lesser surface roughness than conventional and 3D-printed denture base resins.

Effect of Denture Disinfectants on the Mechanical Performance of 3D-Printed Denture Base Materials.

Denture care and maintenance are necessary for both denture longevity and underlying tissue health. However, the effects of disinfectants on the strength of 3D-printed denture base resins are unclear. Herein, distilled water (DW), effervescent tablet, and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) immersion solutions were used to investigate the flexural properties and hardness of two 3D-printed resins (NextDent and FormLabs) compared with a heat-polymerized resin. The flexural strength and elastic modulus were investigated using the three-point bending test and Vickers hardness test before (baseline) immersion and 180 days after immersion. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test (α = 0.05), and further verified by using electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The flexural strength of all the materials decreased after solution immersion (p < 0.001). The effervescent tablet and NaOCl immersion reduced the flexural strength (p < 0.001), with the lowest values recorded with the NaOCl immersion. The elastic modulus did not significantly differ between the baseline and after the DW immersion (p > 0.05), but significantly decreased after the effervescent tablet and NaOCl immersion (p < 0.001). The hardness significantly decreased after immersion in all the solutions (p < 0.001). The immersion of the heat-polymerized and 3D-printed resins in the DW and disinfectant solutions decreased the flexural properties and hardness.