A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE DIMENSIONAL CHANGE OF THE DIFFERENT DENTURE BASES

Statement of problem. Acrylic resin is most commonly used for denture bases. However, acrylic resin has week points of volumetric shrinkage during polymerization that reduces denture fit. The expandability of POSS (Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane) containing polymer could be expected to reduce the polymerization shrinkage of denture bases and would increase the adaptability of the denture to the tissue. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to compare the dimensional stability in the conventional acrylic resin base, POSS-containing acrylic resin base, and metal bases. Materials and methods. Thirty six maxillary edentulous casts and dentures of different base were fabricated. Tooth movement and tissue contour change of denture after processing (resin curing, deflasking, decasting and finishing without polishing) and immersion in artificial saliva at $37^{\circ}C$ for 1 week and 4 weeks were measured using digital measuring microscope and threedimensional laser scanner. Results. The results were as follows: 1. The conventional resin group showed significant (p<0.01) dimensional change throughout the procedure (processing and immersion in artificial saliva). 2. After processing, the metal group and POSS resin group showed lower linear and 3-dimensional change than conventional resin group (p<0.01). 3. There was no statistically significant linear and 3-dimensional change after immersion for 1 week and 4 weeks in metal and POSS resin group. 4. In all groups, the midline and alveolar ridge crest area presented smaller 3-dimensional change compared with vestibule and posterior palatal seal area after processing and soaking in artificial saliva for 1 week and 4 weeks (p<0.01). Conclusion. In this study, a reinforced acrylic-based resin with POSS showed good dimensional stability.