Bonding of acrylic denture teeth to resin denture bases

Anterior teeth debonding from dentures is a common problem. This study tested the bond strength of denture teeth to two types of denture resin, with and without grooving the ridge-lap surface. Bond strength and fracture type of three different groups were compared: 1. Teeth bonded to heat-cured polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA); 2. Teeth bonded to pour-type PMMA; 3. Grooved teeth bonded to pour-type PMMA. Specimens were manufactured following ISO standard 22112. Force values at failure were analysed using one-way analysis of variance, using the mixed procedure with confidence interval of 95%. Types of failure were identified as adhesive, cohesive or combination. In descending order, mean failure forces were 418.55N (Group One), 367.55N (Group Two) and 290.05N (Group Three). There was no significant difference between the means of groups 1 and 2 (p = 0.0627). Group Three differed from both other groups (p < 0.001). Groups One and Two showed predominantly cohesive fractures wthin denture teeth (83% and 72% respectively); group Three showed predominantly cohesive fractures within the denture PMMA (75%). Without ridge-lap modification, the bond strengths of denture teeth to pour-type and heat-cured denture resin were similar. Failures were predominantly of cohesive nature within the teeth themselves. Grooving the ridge-lap reduced fracture resistance and led to breakages predominantly in denture PMMA.