Improving the Mechanical Properties of Orthodontic Occlusal Splints Using Nanoparticles: Silver and Zinc Oxide

The goal of the current study was to determine the mechanical proprieties of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and the improved compound, the graphene-based PMMA, with Zn and Ag and to compare the results. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of the samples before and after the mechanical test was conducted. The compression behavior, flexural properties, tensile strength, and shape of the samples were all investigated and compared between the variants of PMMA. Commercially available polymethylmethacrylate was used (Orthocryl^®-Dentaurum, Ispringen, Germany) with the salt and pepper technique according to the manufacturer's instructions to produce 20 samples for each mechanical trial with standard cylinders (4 mm diameter × 8 mm length) for compression, parallelepipedal prisms for flexing (2 mm × 2 mm × 25 mm) and flat samples for traction. There was no statistical difference in the mechanical proprieties of the samples evaluated, although there were values that could suggest significance. The graphene-based PMMA demonstrated good mechanical proprieties, like the commercially available PMMA, and appears promising for future clinical use based on its multiple advantages.