Evaluation of surface roughness, hardness and elastic modulus of nanoparticle containing light-polymerized denture...

The surface hardness and roughness of different glaze materials for denture base acrylic resins have not been well reported.

The purpose of the study was to measure the surfaces hardness, elastic modulus and surface roughness of 5 different light-polymerized glaze materials for poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) denture base materials.

A total of 210 PMMA resin specimens (10 × 5 × 2 mm) were prepared (30 per group); control group was untreated, group 1 was surface treated with conventional pumice and high shine paste; group 2 to 6 specimens were glaze coated with different commercially available denture glaze materials. 20 specimens out of 30 underwent thermocycling to simulate 6 months and 12 months in vivo. Nanoindentation was performed to measure the surface hardness and elastic modulus. Surface roughness was quantitatively analysed using surface metrology software and qualitatively analysed under scanning electron microscope (SEM). Collected data was statistically analysed using SPSS version 24.

The mean surface hardness of tested specimens ranged from 0.33 ±0.09 GPa to 0.68 ±0.10 GPa. Specimens coated with Optiglaze produced statistically higher surface hardness compared to other groups (P< 0.01). Aging of 6 months and 12 months was found to have no statistical significance for all groups' surface hardness values. For elastic modulus, specimens coated with Nanovarnish produced statistically higher values compared to other groups (P= 0.03). Thermocycling showed no influence on the elastic modulus of specimens. The mean surface roughness of all groups ranged from 0.16 ±0.01 to 0.30 ±0.02 μm with no statistical significance between groups (P= 0.67). However, under SEM analysis, surfaces showed increased roughness over time.

Statistically significant differences in surface hardness and elastic modulus were found among the different types of surface coated denture acrylic resins. Silica-nanoparticle containing surface coatings produced the highest surface hardness and elastic modulus, however there was no statistical significance found in aging for 6 and 12 months. Contrary to expectations, the surface roughness did not have a significant increase in all groups over time, despite changes observed under SEM.

This study will contribute to our understanding of surface glazed PMMA acrylic resin denture materials and how it improves the surface strength. This research can help dental clinicians and technicians select the most effective polishing and coating material for the dentures.