Strength of Relined Denture Base Polymers Subjected to Long-Term Water Immersion

Purpose: This study was undertaken to characterize the long-term equilibrium flexural strength at proportional limit (FSp) of 4 denture reline polymers processed onto 4 denture base polymers. Materials and Methods: A 3-point flexural test was applied on rectangular specimens of each denture base polymer-denture reline polymer. Each specimen was immersed in water for 4 months prior to and 4 months after reline. Results: Significant differences existed among the relined specimens because of the denture base polymer variable, the denture reline polymer variable, and their interaction (P 0.05). The descending order in FSp according to the denture base polymer, arranged in terms of statistical significance was: Acron ~ Acron MC > Triad > Palapress Vario, where ~ denotes no significant difference between Acron and Acron MC. The descending order in FSp according to the denture reline polymer, arranged in terms of statistical significance was: Triad > Rebaron > Rebaron LC > Tokuso Rebase. Significant difference existed among all of the denture reline polymers. Conclusion: The present study showed that the long-term equilibrium strengths of 4 denture reline polymers processed onto 4 denture base polymers were different. The strength of the relined specimen of a denture base is dependent on the strength of the denture base polymer and that of the reline polymer.