Influence of reinforcing materials on strain of maxillary complete denture

Objective. A maxillary complete denture has been a common prosthetic treatment for people with edentulous maxillas. The fracture and deformation of dentures are recurrent and common problems for denture-wearers. Consequently, reinforcement materials are embedded in the denture base to prevent fracture and deformation. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of reinforcing materials on the strain within the acrylic base of a maxillary complete denture. Materials and methods. Three reinforcements (cast cobalt-chromium bar; glass fibers; and cobalt-chromium wire) were embedded in the bases and a strain-gauge was attached at three positions (labial, middle and posterior) at the mid-line of the polished surface of each denture. A vertical occlusal load of 49 N was applied to the left and right side in the region of the 1st premolar and the 1st molar. Comparisons of the strain were made via ANOVA. Results. The strain of the denture base with a cast cobalt-chromium reinforcement was significantly (p < 0.05) smaller than that with the other reinforcements. Conclusions. This result suggested that a cast cobalt-chromium reinforcement helps to reduce the risk of fracture and deformation of a maxillary complete denture.