Color stability: denture base resins processed with the microwave method

Several quick heat-cured denture base resin systems and microwave processing resins have been introduced to provide easier and faster processing. The microwave processing method is the fastest of the heat-cured processing methods. Conventional acrylic resins processed with the microwave method seem to possess adequate physical properties, and one study indicated that a microwave acrylic resin was reasonably color stable under conditions of accelerated aging, although manufacturers do not recommend using them for microwave processing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the color stability of seven conventional and one microwave heat-cured denture base materials processed with the microwave method. The samples were subjected to conditions of accelerated aging to test for color stability. The color stability was quantitatively measured and color measurements were made before weathering and at 300, 600, and 900 hours. The mean color change for each sample group was statistically analyzed with polynomial regression to determine the pattern of color change over time. The differences in color change for the acrylic resins were significant for all materials, but the color change for Lucitone Hy-pro was not noticeable on visual examination. The results of this study revealed that color changes occurred after accelerated aging in heat-cured denture base resins and Acron GC microwave acrylic resins processed with the microwave method. Hy-pro and TruTone materials exhibited the least color change; Hy-pro material was the most color stable material.