Effect of rapid curing procedures on polymer implant materials

Abstract

This investigation of standard curing methods for PMMA implants has demonstrated that alternate means of using the air oven may produce good strength properties along with a considerable degree of porosity, when desired, in a relatively short period of time. Curing of polymers in a pressure pot offers few advantages owing to the length of time required to produce, at best, equivalent strength for the porous materials. The method also poses dangers inherent in the use of superheated salt solution or hot glycerin. The autoclave is widely used in dental offices for sterilizing and will fully and consistently cure polymers within 30 minutes. The best properties for the PMMA resin were achieved with this method (61 MPa or 9,130 p.s.i., tensile strength). The microwave oven has become relatively inexpensive in recent years, and it offers time savings of up to 90 per cent which would be beneficial in implant dentistry or in dental laboratory procedures in general. The exact condition for curing particular polymers must be carefully determined to adjust the time of irradiation in order not to under- or overcure the polymer object. Curing polymers which contain intrinsic foaming agents under pressure conditions slightly reduced the total pore volume. But, pore volume and pore diameter in the large-bead polymers are determined predominantly by packing conditions, not curing conditions. Biologic tolerance to materials cured by these methods in primates is presently being evaluated.