Complete denture retention. Part II: Wettability studies on various acrylic resin denture base materials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Acrylic resin denture bases are susceptible to biofilm accumulation and surface degradation.
• Understanding the surface properties of denture base materials is crucial for improving denture hygiene and longevity.
• Surface wettability, quantified by contact angle, influences material-surface interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize in vitro selected acrylic resin denture base materials using water-contact angle measurements.
• To investigate the relationship between surface properties and denture retention.
• To determine the optimal surface treatment for enhanced denture stability.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the sessile drop method for water-contact angle measurements.
• Employed the underwater-bubble method to assess surface characteristics.
• Analyzed polished and sand-abraded heat-polymerized acrylic resin samples.

Main Results:

• Contact angle and polymer-water work of adhesion hysteresis were analyzed.
• Polished samples exhibited hysteresis due to superficial polymer chain reorientation.
• Sand-abraded samples showed the highest contact-angle hysteresis, attributed to increased roughness and water droplet entrapment.

Conclusions:

• Surface roughness and pore entrapment significantly influence contact-angle hysteresis in acrylic resins.
• Sand-abraded acrylic resin demonstrates superior properties for complete denture retention.
• These findings provide a basis for selecting and preparing denture base materials for improved clinical performance.