[Is the testing for changes in shape of denture base materials meaningful].

The results obtained in measurements of the dimensional behavior of U-shaped specimens correspond to the dimensional behavior of dentures. Part of the dimensional changes found in U-shaped specimens are not observed to the same extent in dentures, but produce interior tension in the denture. The bigger the dimensional changes in the U-shaped specimen, the bigger the dimensional changes in the denture or the tensions in its interior. Thus, the results of the measurements of U-shaped specimens demonstrate the behavior of a clinically used denture. Corresponding guidelines for testing purposes are proposed.