Influence of CAD/CAM fabrication on denture surface properties

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Surface Science

Background:

• Microbial adhesion to denture surfaces is influenced by surface properties like roughness, hydrophilicity, and free surface energy.
• Understanding these properties is crucial for developing dentures that minimize microbial colonization and improve oral health.
• Conventional dentures may present surface characteristics that favor microbial growth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the surface properties (roughness, hydrophilicity, free surface energy) of CAD/CAM-fabricated dentures with conventionally manufactured dentures.
• To determine if CAD/CAM technology offers improved surface characteristics that are less attractive to microbes.
• To evaluate specific CAD/CAM denture systems against a conventional control group.

Main Methods:

• Surface roughness was measured using contact profilometry on 54 standardized dentures.
• Surface hydrophilicity and free surface energy were assessed via contact angle measurements on 70 standardized resin specimens.
• Five CAD/CAM systems (AvaDent, Baltic Denture System, Vita VIONIC, Whole You Nexteeth, Wieland Digital Dentures) were compared to a conventional control group.

Main Results:

• All tested CAD/CAM dentures demonstrated significantly lower mean surface roughness compared to conventional dentures.
• Several CAD/CAM materials (Vita VIONIC, coated Whole You Nexteeth, AvaDent, Baltic Denture System) exhibited significantly higher hydrophilicity than the control.
• Free surface energy values were largely similar across groups, except for a significant increase in coated Whole You Nexteeth specimens.

Conclusions:

• Most CAD/CAM dentures possess superior surface properties, specifically reduced roughness and enhanced hydrophilicity, potentially leading to decreased microbial adhesion.
• The free surface energy of CAD/CAM dentures is generally comparable to conventional ones, suggesting this property may not be a key differentiator.
• Further research into specific material compositions and surface treatments is warranted to fully understand the clinical implications for microbial retention.