Bond strength between a silica glass-fiber-reinforced composite and artificial polymer teeth.

OBJECTIVE

A resin-bonded prosthesis is preferred when conservation of abutment tooth structure is required, although a problem with such systems is bonding between the fixed partial denture material and a polymer pontic. The aim of this study was to investigate the bond strength of a silica glass-fiber-reinforced composite to polymer teeth compared with the bond strength of a proprietary heat-polymerized denture base polymer and also between a layer of the polymerized matrix polymer of the experimental base material and an additional layer of the same material.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Polymeric artificial maxillary incisors and two heat-polymerized base materials (ProBase Hot and an experimental formulation) were used. Three test groups (each n=6) were prepared: bonding between artificial tooth and an experimental composite (group-TC), bonding between tooth and ProBase Hot (group-TP), and bonding between experimental base material and experimental base material (group-BB). The content of inorganic particles of teeth was determined by combustion analysis. The bond strengths were measured in shear with a universal testing machine and the data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and post-hoc Scheffé test (p<0.05). After failure, the fracture surfaces were examined by optical microscopy.

RESULTS

The content of inorganic particles in the teeth was low. There is no statistically significant difference in bond strength between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Bond strength of the experimental composite to artificial polymer teeth was as good as that of a conventional heat-polymerized denture base polymer. The strong bonding between the experimental material and artificial teeth makes this combination suitable for resin-bonded prostheses.