The effect of the addition of poly (methyl methacrylate) fibres on the transverse strength of repaired heat-cured acrylic resin

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of addition of an experimental poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) fibre in linear form, 0.75 mm in diameter on the transverse strength of repaired heat-cured poly (methyl methacrylate) denture base material. Specimens of heat-cured PMMA were repaired with an autopolymerizing acrylic resin and an autopolymerizing acrylic resin together with the addition of untreated and surface-treated PMMA fibres in different arrangements. The transverse bend test was carried out using a Lloyd's Instrument Material Testing Machine. From the results, it can be concluded that the box incorporated into the repair joint produced a significant decrease in the moduli of elasticity and rupture which may be due to stress concentration effects. The addition of one layer of untreated PMMA fibres significantly decreased the modulus of rupture. The addition of two layers of untreated fibres produced a slight but statistically non-significant increase in the modulus of rupture. The addition of surface-treated (with butadiene styrene latex emulsion) fibres into the repair complex gave no improvement compared with the addition of untreated fibres in terms of transverse strength. There was an insignificant decrease in the modulus of rupture compared with the untreated fibres.