Denture Base Composites: Effect of Surface Modified Nano- and Micro-Particulates on Mechanical Properties of Polymethyl Methacrylate.

Touraj Nejatian,Neil Nathwani,Louise Taylor,Farshid Sefat

doi:10.3390/ma13020307

Abstract

The most commonly used denture base material, polymethyl methacrylate, lacks ideal mechanical properties, which are reflected in its relatively high failure rate. Several methods have been explored to reinforce the material and reduce the cost of denture repair and replacement. In this study, various surface modified filler particles at different concentrations were dispersed in conventional and high-impact denture base materials and tested for their improvement in mechanical properties. Inorganic filler particles were coated with different silane coupling agents using an ultrasonic device. The particulates were dispersed in the resin and the composites polymerised through an innovative dual-cure technique. Charpy impact test, single-edge notch three-point bend fracture toughness test and Biaxial Flexural Strength (BFS) were performed on the specimens. The results showed that mechanical properties of the denture base resin can be improved by incorporating filler particles; however, the surface characteristics, quantity and level of dispersion of the particles play critical role in the mechanical behaviour of the composites. The results of this study are a promising step towards developing more fracture-resistant denture base materials.

Highlights

The most common used material for making dentures is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) owing to several advantages including accurate fits, stability within the oral environment, cost-effectiveness and simple laboratory and clinical manipulation [1]
Despite the common use of PMMA, two-thirds of dentures break within three years of their use [2,3]
Silane coupling treatment can modify the surface of inorganic particles making them compatible with acrylic monomer

Summary

Introduction

The most common used material for making dentures is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) owing to several advantages including accurate fits, stability within the oral environment, cost-effectiveness and simple laboratory and clinical manipulation [1]. Improvement of PMMA dentures would require four aspects to be considered, dependent on the etiology of the fracture: (a) maintaining mechanical characteristics through corrective surgery of anatomical abnormalities, to improve denture fit and balance the occlusion [8]; (b) optimizing chemical structure whilst forming the denture by modifying the packing and processing techniques [9,10];. (c) improving adhesion between teeth and denture base [11]; (d) modifying the composition chemically. Materials 2020, 13, 307; doi:10.3390/ma13020307 www.mdpi.com/journal/materials [9,10]; (c) improving adhesion between teeth and denture base [11] ; (d) modifying the composition chemically by replacing brittle polymers with adding rubber particles [12], adding fibres, metal by replacing brittleparticles polymers with adding rubber particles adding fibres, metal inserts and other inserts and other [13].

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion