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Color stability and colorant effect on maxillofacial elastomers. Part I: colorant effect on physical properties
S P Haug1, C J Andres, B K Moore
1Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, Ind. 46202, USA. SPHAUG@IUSD.IUPUI.EDU
Statement Of Problem:
The average clinical life span of a maxillofacial prosthesis is approximately 6 months, at which point it needs to be refabricated, mainly because of degradation of the color and physical properties of the prosthesis.
Purpose:
This first part of a 3-part study evaluated the effect of coloring agents on the physical properties of maxillofacial elastomers.
Methods And Material:
Five dumbbell-shaped and 5 trouser-shaped specimens were fabricated for each of the combinations of the 3 elastomers (Silastic medical adhesive type A, Silastic 4-4210, and Silicone A-2186) and 6 colorants (dry earth pigments, rayon fiber flocking, artist's oil paints, kaolin, liquid cosmetics, and no-colorants), for a total of 180 specimens. Evaluations of hardness and tear strength were made with the trouser-shaped specimens. Evaluations of the ultimate tensile strength and the percentage elongation were made with the dumbbell-shaped specimens. A within elastomer analysis compared the 6 colorants using a 1-way analysis of variance for each of the 4 physical properties. When significant differences were observed, the Student-Newman-Keuls multiple range test was used to identify differences between groups at a significance level of.05.
Results:
Physical properties of maxillofacial elastomers were changed by the incorporation of coloring agents. Dry earth pigments, kaolin, and rayon flocking acted as a solid filler without bonding to the Silicone, and artists' oils and liquid cosmetics acted as a liquid phase without bonding to the silicone matrix.
Conclusion:
No clearly superior colorant-elastomer combination was demonstrated in all the tests in this study.
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