effect of active ingredients on the efficacy of denture fixatives

ABSTRACT

To investigate the efficacy as influenced by the active ingredients present in a number of proprietary and experimental denture fixatives. Design: It was an interventional and comparative study. Place and Duration of Study The study was conducted at the Dental School of the University College London, [UCL] and spanned over a period of 3 months. Subjects and Dentate subjects from among the staff in the school participated in the study. For each subject, a standardized ill-fitting mucosal bone palatal plate was made. In each case, an amount of 0.6 of the test material was applied to the impression surface of the test palatal plate. With the test plate in the subject's mouth, its retention was measured at 0,3 and 6 hours post insertion stages following the methodology and equipments previously developed and used for the purpose. Retention forces at the required test stages were measured by using the UCL Retentiometer. Changes [both improvement and reduction] in retention of the test plate were seen as a function of time and the rate of hydration of the active ingredients and their subsequent washing off from the denture ' tissue interface. Fixatives containing multiple ingredients proved more effective over prolonged periods than those based on polyethylene oxide [Polyox] and carboxy-methyl-cellulose [CMC] only. Fixatives with most regular constituents showed a delayed onset of retention but remained effective over the entire test period of six hours. One product containing polyvinyl-acetate [PVA] and tri-acetin [TA] exhibited instantaneous efficacy on application but failed in maintaining this initial level of retention during later recordings in the day. Fixative containing regular constituents provided the desired retention for a period of more than six hours. Other products containing PVA and TA may show rapid onset of action but this may not last beyond an hour period