Evaluation Of Flexural Strength And Candida Albicans Adherence To Silver Nanoparticles Reinforced 3D Printed And Heat-Cured PMMA Polymers: An In-Vitro Study

Pradeep Kumar , Himanshi Aggarwal , Daniel A Givan , Nathaniel C Lawson , Ping Zhang , Chin-Chuan Fu

Objectives

To compare the effect of addition of cytocompatible concentration (1 µm/ml) of silver nanoparticles (SNP) on antifungal efficacy & flexural strength of CAD/CAM printed and heat-cured PMMA polymers.

Methods (Original Research) or Case History/Technical Steps (Case Presentation)

A total of 110 samples of three different denture materials, heat-cured PMMA, CAD/CAD milled) & CAD/CAD printed denture material were tested. Optical density at 600nm was used to measure C. albicans adherence & a three-point bending test was performed to analyze the flexural strength. Data analysis was conducted with SPSS v.29, using Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni correction for C. albicans adherence and ANOVA for flexural strength.

Results (Original Research) or Discussion: Outcome/Follow up (Case Presentation)

A statistically significant difference was observed for C. albicans adherence between different groups (p=.001). SNP incorporation reduced C. albicans adherence to Lucitone 199 heat cured PMMA and Dentca II printed denture base resin. Lucitone heat cured and lucitone heat cured with SNP were significantly different than Ivotion milled base, that showed highest C. albicans adherence. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between different groups (p>0.05) for flexural strength. The mean flexural strength of Dentca printed material modified with SNP was highest and unmodified Dentca printed material was the lowest. The Lucitone 199 unmodified heat cured material had higher flexural strength than Ivotion base milled material.

Conclusions

Different denture base resin materials have different flexural strength and C. albicans adherence. Addition of SNP to Dentca denture base II printed resin improves both its flexural strength and fungal resistance, making its characteristics close to Lucitone 199 heat cured PMMA resin.