Impact of Fabrication Techniques and Polishing Procedures on Surface Roughness of Denture Base Resins
January 17th, 2025
This article presents a protocol to evaluate the effects of different manufacturing methods (heat-polymerized PMMA, CAD-CAM milled PMMA, and 3D-printed resin) and polishing techniques (600, 800, and 1000 grit silicon carbide abrasive papers) on the surface roughness (Ra) of resin base materials used for complete dentures.
In this study, we aim to evaluate the effects of manufacturing and polishing techniques on the surface roughness of resin materials used in the production of dental processes. We determined that mechanical polishing up to a thousand grid significantly reduces surface roughness in three dimensional printed materials, but does not issue clinically acceptable roughness. Future studies will be planned to expand the variety of polishing techniques applied and to reduce the surface roughness of prosthetic basis fabricated using three dimensional printed materials.
[Instructor] To begin, produce polymethyl methacrylate resin discs using a suitable method. For calibration press and hold the power button to turn on the profilometer device. Once the main screen appears, press the start button. Open the calibration panel without touching the gray area and position it under the scanner tip with the text facing the user. Press the menu enter button on the control panel to initiate calibration. Select the calib measurement option and press the start button. Adjust the settings for surface roughness readout to cover 0.5 millimeters with a cutoff value of 0.8 millimeters at a speed of 0.25 millimeters per second and a resolution of 0.01 micrometers. For surface roughness measurement, place the sample on the panel so that its surface touches the scanner tip. Once the scanner tip completes the surface scan, save the numerical data displayed on the screen to an Excel file. Before the polishing procedure, the surface roughness values were significantly different between the groups. After the polishing procedure, the surface roughness values decreased in all groups. The box plot demonstrated the disparities in surface roughness of the samples prior to and following polishing of heat polymerized, 3D printed and milled discs. The 3D printed group demonstrates the most considerable variation and median discrepancy in surface roughness, whereas the milled group exhibits the smallest difference with the presence of some outliers. Post polishing, no statistically significant difference was observed between the heat polymerized and CAD-CAM Milled groups.
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Overview
This article presents a protocol to evaluate the effects of different manufacturing methods and polishing techniques on the surface roughness of resin base materials used for complete dentures. The study highlights the impact of mechanical polishing on three-dimensional printed materials.
Key Study Components
Area of Science
- Dental materials
- Prosthodontics
- Surface analysis
Background
- Resin materials are commonly used in dental prosthetics.
- Surface roughness affects the performance and longevity of dental materials.
- Different manufacturing and polishing techniques can influence surface properties.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for improving dental applications.
Purpose of Study
- To evaluate the effects of manufacturing methods on surface roughness.
- To assess the impact of various polishing techniques.
- To determine the clinical acceptability of surface roughness in dental materials.
Methods Used
- Production of polymethyl methacrylate resin discs using different methods.
- Calibration and use of a profilometer for surface roughness measurement.
- Application of mechanical polishing with varying grit sizes.
- Statistical analysis of surface roughness values before and after polishing.
Main Results
- Mechanical polishing significantly reduced surface roughness in all groups.
- 3D printed materials showed the greatest variation in surface roughness.
- No clinically acceptable roughness was achieved post-polishing.
- No significant difference was found between heat polymerized and CAD-CAM milled groups after polishing.
Conclusions
- Polishing techniques effectively reduce surface roughness in dental materials.
- Further studies are needed to explore additional polishing methods.
- Improving surface roughness is essential for enhancing the quality of dental prosthetics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Executive Industry Relevance
Surface roughness of denture base resins directly impacts material performance, influencing downstream biocompatibility and device longevity in dental applications. Quantitative assessment of fabrication and polishing variables enables predictive control over material properties, supporting risk-adjusted material selection and process optimization. These insights inform early-stage material screening and standardization for dental device portfolios.
Strategic Applications in Biopharma R&D
Early Discovery & Target Validation
- Quantitative surface roughness measurement enables hypothesis testing on fabrication and finishing impacts.
- Comparative analysis of resin types supports material de-risking and functional validation.
- Statistical differentiation of manufacturing methods informs predictive confidence in material selection.
Screening & Assay Development
- Profilometer-based readouts provide standardized, reproducible surface quality metrics for screening workflows.
- Validated measurement protocols facilitate cross-comparison of new resin formulations or processing techniques.
- Quantitative outputs support reliable evaluation of process modifications and scalability.
Translational & Preclinical Research
- Surface roughness data align with translational requirements for device biocompatibility and clinical acceptability.
- Continuity from material discovery to preclinical validation is supported by robust, quantitative surface metrics.
- Risk-adjusted advancement decisions are enabled by statistically significant material comparisons.
Pipeline & Workflow Integration
This protocol integrates into the material evaluation continuum from early discovery through preclinical device assessment, supporting iterative optimization and portfolio triage.
- Discovery Biology: Enables hypothesis-driven testing of fabrication and finishing effects on material properties.
- Screening: Provides reproducible, quantitative surface roughness data for material and process screening.
- Analytics: Delivers statistical outputs (e.g., Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon, t-test) for robust group comparisons.
- Translational Research: Supports alignment with clinical surface quality thresholds for device applications.
- Enterprise Reuse: Establishes a standardized measurement and analysis workflow for ongoing material innovation.
Operational & Enterprise Impact
- Scientific Value: Increases predictive confidence in material performance and reduces mechanistic ambiguity.
- Operational Value: Standardizes surface quality assessment and enhances reproducibility across teams.
- Strategic Value: Informs go/no-go decisions for material and process selection, improving capital efficiency.
- Portfolio Impact: Enables risk-adjusted prioritization of materials for advancement in dental device pipelines.
Implementation Considerations
- Requires expertise in profilometry and statistical analysis for robust data interpretation.
- Profilometer instrumentation and calibration protocols are essential for reproducible measurements.
- Cross-team standardization of polishing and measurement procedures ensures data comparability.
- Adaptation may be needed for different resin chemistries or device geometries.
- Surface roughness thresholds for clinical acceptability must be defined for translational alignment.
