STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Acrylic resin dentures are susceptible to fracture after clinical use. The repair procedure should be time saving, strong, and should not affect dimensional accuracy. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the transverse repair strength of a conventional heat-polymerized (Lucitone 199, "L") and a microwave-polymerized (Acron MC, "A") acrylic resin that were repaired with these same resins and with an autopolymerizing acrylic resin (Acron MC/R, "AR"). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four rectangular specimens (65.0 x 10.0 x 3.3 mm) of L or A and 6 of AR were manufactured according to ISO/FDI 1567 and stored in distilled water at 37 degrees C for 7 days. Eighteen specimens of L or A were selected randomly. Six specimens of each material remained intact (control), each 6 were sectioned in the middle to create a 10-mm gap and repaired with the materials L, A, or AR. After an additional 7 days of storage at 37 degrees C, the transverse strength (MPa) of the repaired and intact specimens was measured using a 3-point bending test. A 2-way ANOVA and a Tukey HSD test were performed to identify significant differences (alpha=.05). The nature of the failure was noted as adhesive, cohesive, or mixed. RESULTS: The intact and repaired specimens showed similar transverse strength values (MPa), except for A-intact (80.6 +/- 2.9), which was significantly stronger (P<.05) than the other materials tested as well as the repaired groups (P<.05). No differences were detected among the repaired groups. Repaired specimens exhibited 3 types of failures: adhesive (interface), cohesive (only in the repair material), and mixed (interface and repair material), with incidences of 2.8, 25, and 72.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The autopolymerizing resin exhibited a repair strength similar to those found for the conventional heat- and microwave-polymerized materials.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Acrylic resin dentures are susceptible to fracture after clinical use. The repair procedure should be time saving, strong, and should not affect dimensional accuracy. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the transverse repair strength of a conventional heat-polymerized (Lucitone 199, "L") and a microwave-polymerized (Acron MC, "A") acrylic resin that were repaired with these same resins and with an autopolymerizing acrylic resin (Acron MC/R, "AR"). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four rectangular specimens (65.0 x 10.0 x 3.3 mm) of L or A and 6 of AR were manufactured according to ISO/FDI 1567 and stored in distilled water at 37 degrees C for 7 days. Eighteen specimens of L or A were selected randomly. Six specimens of each material remained intact (control), each 6 were sectioned in the middle to create a 10-mm gap and repaired with the materials L, A, or AR. After an additional 7 days of storage at 37 degrees C, the transverse strength (MPa) of the repaired and intact specimens was measured using a 3-point bending test. A 2-way ANOVA and a Tukey HSD test were performed to identify significant differences (alpha=.05). The nature of the failure was noted as adhesive, cohesive, or mixed. RESULTS: The intact and repaired specimens showed similar transverse strength values (MPa), except for A-intact (80.6 +/- 2.9), which was significantly stronger (P<.05) than the other materials tested as well as the repaired groups (P<.05). No differences were detected among the repaired groups. Repaired specimens exhibited 3 types of failures: adhesive (interface), cohesive (only in the repair material), and mixed (interface and repair material), with incidences of 2.8, 25, and 72.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The autopolymerizing resin exhibited a repair strength similar to those found for the conventional heat- and microwave-polymerized materials.