Abstract
The future of manufacturing applications in three-dimensional (3D) printing depends on the improvement and the development of materials suitable for 3D printing technology. This study aims to develop an applicable and convenient protocol for light-curing resin used in 3D industry, which could enhance antibacterial and mechanical properties of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin through the combination of nano-fillers of surface modified titanium dioxide (TiO2) and micro-fillers of polyetheretherketone (PEEK). PMMA-based composite resins with various additions of TiO2 and PEEK were prepared and submitted to characterizations including mechanical properties, distribution of the fillers (TiO2 or/and PEEK) on the fractured surface, cytotoxicity, antibacterial activity, and blood compatibility assessment. These results indicated that the reinforced composite resins of PMMA (TiO2-1%-PEEK-1%) possessed the most optimized properties compared to the other groups. In addition, we found the addition of 1% of TiO2 would be an effective amount to enhance both mechanical and antibacterial properties for PMMA composite resin. Furthermore, the model printed by PMMA (TiO2-1%-PEEK-1%) composite resin showed a smooth surface and a precise resolution, indicating this functional dental restoration material would be a suitable light-curing resin in 3D industry.
Highlights
Digital dental medical technology is becoming the mainstream of dental prosthetics worldwide [1]
TiO2 NPs were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and modified by silane coupling agent to obtain TiO2-KH570
The TiO2-KH570 NPs were more aggregated than TiO2 NPs, which was due to the fact that the modification of KH570 reduced the hydrophilicity of the TiO2 NPs
Summary
Digital dental medical technology is becoming the mainstream of dental prosthetics worldwide [1]. Digital three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has greatly improved the diagnostic rate and has shown great potential in personalized medicine [1,2]. Light-curing technology accounts for approximately 75% of 3D printing dental applications, and light-curing resins are commonly used fillers and restorative materials in stomatology [3,4]. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is a commercial light-curing resins used in 3D printing industry due to its low odor, low irritancy, good flexibility, and low cost [5]. The inherent limitations of PMMA, such as large shrinkage rate during light-curing, large brittleness, poor mechanical properties, and low antibacterial activity, etc., have hindered its extensive clinical application [6,7,8]
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