Effect of glass-fiber usage on bond strength of acrylic resin to components of removable partial denture

Abstract

Aim: In order to improve the mechanical properties of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), more attention has been directed toward the glass fibers due to its good reinforcement capability. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of glass fibers on the bond strength between reinforced acrylic resin and components of removable partial denture (RPD). Materials and Methods: Two types of denture teeth (conventional resin and cross-linked resin), two types of framework alloys (CoCr and Ti6Al4V) and heat-polymerized acrylic resin that was not reinforced and reinforced with glass fiber content of 1% and 5% were used. Reinforced and unreinforced acrylic resins were applied to both denture tooth and framework alloy samples to construct bonding area as 5 mm diameter. After polymerization of acrylic resin, samples were stored in distilled water for 2 days at 37°C; then they were thermocycled 5000 times (5-55°C). To record shear bond strength of samples, universal testing machine was used until failure occurred. The shear bond strength data were analyzed at 5% significance level. Results: The shear bond strength of CoCr alloy and cross-linked resin denture tooth samples didn't show any effect with reinforcement. But conventional resin denture teeth bonding enhanced with 5% fiber concentration; and Ti6Al4V, the addition of glass fiber, regardless of the ratio, affected the bonding strength in a positive way. Conclusions: Glass fiber reinforcement of the PMMA increased or did not aAQ4ffect, but never decreased the bonding strength between acrylic resin and component of RPD.