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This in vitro study evaluated the temperature of dentures after different microwave irradiation protocols. Two complete dentures (one maxillary and one mandibular denture) were irradiated separately 4 times for each of the following 5 protocols: dentures immersed in water (G1- 6 min, G2- 3 min); dentures kept dry (G3- 6 min); dentures placed in the steam sterilizer (G4- 6 min, G5- 3 min). The final temperature of the dentures was gauged in a thin and in a thick area of each denture with an infrared thermometer. All groups presented an increase in the resin base temperature. The thin areas of the dentures underwent greater heating than the thick areas. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the final mean temperatures of dentures immersed in water for 6 (G1) and 3 min (G2). However, the final mean temperatures recorded in G1 and G2 exceeded 71°C and were significantly higher (<0.001) than the final mean temperatures recorded in the other groups. It may be concluded that denture base resins subjected to microwave irradiation immersed in water may be exposed to deleterious temperatures.

The purpose of this study was to compare the polymerization shrinkage stress of composite resins (microfilled, microhybrid and hybrid) photoactivated by quartz-tungsten halogen light (QTH) and light-emitting diode (LED). Glass rods (5.0 mm x 5.0 cm) were fabricated and had one of the surfaces air-abraded with aluminum oxide and coated with a layer of an adhesive system, which was photoactivated with the QTH unit. The glass rods were vertically assembled, in pairs, to a universal testing machine and the composites were applied to the lower rod. The upper rod was placed closer, at 2 mm, and an extensometer was attached to the rods. The 20 composites were polymerized by either QTH (n=10) or LED (n=10) curing units. Polymerization was carried out using 2 devices positioned in opposite sides, which were simultaneously activated for 40 s. Shrinkage stress was analyzed twice: shortly after polymerization (t40s) and 10 min later (t10min). Data were analyzed statistically by 2-way ANOVA and Tukey's test (alpha=5%). The shrinkage stress for all composites was higher at t10min than at t40s, regardless of the activation source. Microfilled composite resins showed lower shrinkage stress values compared to the other composite resins. For the hybrid and microhybrid composite resins, the light source had no influence on the shrinkage stress, except for microfilled composite at t10min. It may be concluded that the composition of composite resins is the factor with the strongest influence on shrinkage stress.

The present study evaluated the effect of repeated simulated microwave disinfection on physical and mechanical properties of Clássico, Onda-Cryl and QC-20 denture base acrylic resins. Aluminum patterns were included in metallic or plastic flasks with dental stone following the traditional packing method. The powder/liquid mixing ratio was established according to the manufacturer's instructions. After water-bath polymerization at 74 degrees C for 9 h, boiling water for 20 min or microwave energy at 900 W for 10 min, the specimens were deflasked after flask cooling and finished. Each specimen was immersed in 150 mL of distilled water and underwent 5 disinfection cycles in a microwave oven set at 650 W for 3 min. Non-disinfected and disinfected specimens were subjected to the following tets: Knoop hardness test was performed with 25 g load for 10 s, impact strength test was done using the Charpy system with 40 kpcm, and 3-point bending test (flexural strength) was performed at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min until fracture. Data were analyzed statistically by ANOVA and Tukey's test (alpha= 0.05%). Repeated simulated microwave disinfections decreased the Knoop hardness of Clássico and Onda-Cryl resins and had no effect on the impact strength of QC-20. The flexural strength was similar for all tested resins.

This study evaluated the effect of microwave energy on the hardness, impact strength and flexural strength of the Clássico, Onda-Cryl and QC-20 acrylic resins. Aluminum die were embedded in metallic or plastic flasks with type III dental stone, in accordance with the traditional packing technique. A mixing powder/liquid ratio was used according to the manufacturer's instructions. After polymerization in water batch at 74 degrees C for 9 h, boiling water for 20 min or microwave energy at 900 W for 10 min, the specimens were deflasked after flask cooling at room temperature, and submitted to finishing. Specimens non-disinfected and disinfected by microwave irradiation were submitted to hardness, impact and flexural strength tests. Each specimen was immersed in distilled water and disinfected in a microwave oven calibrated to 650 W for 3 min. Knoop hardness test was performed with 25 g load for 10 s, impact test was carried out using the Charpy system with 40 kpcm, and 3-point bending test with a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min until fracture. Data were submitted to statistical analysis by ANOVA and Tukey's test (alpha=0.05). Disinfection by microwave energy decreased the hardness of Clássico and Onda-Cryl acrylic resins, but no effect was observed on the impact and flexural strength of all tested resins.

Unlabelled: Accurate iris reproduction in the fabrication of ocular prosthesis in order to match the remaining eye is a key factor to mask the loss and achieve an esthetic outcome for anophthalmic patients. This study evaluated the stability of acrylic paints used for replicating iris color in ocular prostheses by the analysis of two factors: the temperature of the acrylic resin polymerization cycle during prosthesis fabrication and the incidence of sun light, which is the main photodegrading agent undermining the longevity of ocular prostheses. An accelerated aging assay was used for both analyses. Specimens simulating the prosthetic iris in the colors blue, yellow, black, brown and green were fabricated, and were submitted to a colorimetric reading before and after undergoing the thermal conditions of acrylic resin polymerization. Next, the specimens were submitted to an artificial accelerated aging assay with ultraviolet radiation A and weekly colorimetric readings during a 3-week period. The color change (Delta E*) values for the four specimens painted with the same color paint were averaged and the resulting values were considered for statistical analysis. Levine's test and Student's t-test were used to analyze the influence of the temperature of the polymerization cycle during prosthesis fabrication on the color stability of each acrylic resin paint. Friedman's test for three dependent samples was used for analysis of color photodegradation as function of time. Significance level was set at 0.05 for all analyses. It was observed that, after the action of the temperature of the polymerization cycle, alteration above clinically acceptable level of Delta E*> 3.3 was observed only for the yellow color. After the accelerated aging assay, there were statistically significant differences (p<0.05) as a function of time in the green, brown, black and blue colors. Changes were clinically acceptable for the brown and black colors; slightly above the clinically acceptable limit for the green color; and significantly high and impracticable from a clinical standpoint for the blue color. There was no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) for the yellow color, which presented color change only a little above the clinically acceptable limit., In Conclusion: 1. Only the yellow color presented alterations above the clinically acceptable levels after the polymerization cycle; 2. After accelerated aging, there was no changes in the yellow color above the clinically acceptable levels; 3. For the green color, degradation was significant and slightly above the clinically acceptable levels; 4. The black, brown and blue colors presented significant alterations as function of time; the alterations of the brown and black colors were within acceptable clinical levels, while the blue color presented a more accentuated degradation over time.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate, in vitro, the color stability of three composite resins of two different shades (A3 and C3) cured with either a quartz tungsten halogen (QTH) or a light emitting diode (LED) source. Forty specimens (20 x 2 mm) were prepared for each composite (Tetric Ceram, Heliomolar and Esthet-X), being 20 for each shade. In each group, 10 specimens were light-cured using the QTH unit and 10 with the LED source. The shade of the materials was evaluated before and after submitting the specimens to artificial accelerated aging (4 h UV-B/4 h condensing vapor), using a reflection spectrophotometer. deltaE means were calculated and analyzed statistically by 2-way ANOVA and Tukey's test at 5% significance level. Both A3 and C3 shades of Esthet-X composite resin showed the lowest color change when cured with the QTH light, while Tetric C3 cured with the QTH light showed the highest color change.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the amount of residual monomer in a composite resin after light-curing with different sources, light intensities and spectra of radiation. The resin specimens (4 mm in diameter; 2 mm thick) (n=5) were inserted in Plexglass matrixes and light-cured with a halogen lamp, LED and PAC units for 40, 40 and 5 s, respectively. The polymerized specimens were ground and 25 mg of each specimen were immersed in 8 mL 96% ethanol for 24 h to extract the residual monomer. The amount of residual monomer was determined by the standard straight line method. The light spectrum of the different LCUs was shot and processed through researches of the absorbation of the standard solutions at a level of lambda=275 nm and their extracts. Data were analyzed statistically by variational dispersion analysis and Tukey-Kramer test at 5% significance level. It was observed that, the halogen lamp produced the smallest amount of monomer under sufficient light intensity. The spectrum of light radiation of PAC was within the limits of 450- 490 nm and was of extremely high intensity. This imposes the use of short-limited light impulses, but also might lead to deterioration quality of polymerization. The LED unit had the best spectral radiation. An increase of light intensity was proved necessary.

This study compared the abrasion resistance of direct composite resins cured by light-emitting diodes (LED) and halogen light-curing units. Twenty specimens (12 mm in diameter; 1.0 mm thick) of each composite resin [TPH (Dentsply); Definite (Degussa); Charisma (Heraus Kulzer)] were prepared using a polytetrafluoroethylene matrix. Ten specimens per material were cured with the LED source and 10 with the halogen lamp for 40 s. The resin discs were polished, submitted to initial surface roughness reading (Ra initial - microm) in a roughness tester and stored in water at 37 degrees C for 15 days. The specimens were weighed (M1) and submitted to simulated toothbrushing using slurry of water and dentifrice with high abrasiveness. After 100 minutes in the toothbrushing simulator, the specimens were cleaned, submitted to a new surface roughness reading (Ra final - microm) and reweighed (M2). Mass loss was determined as the difference between M1 and M2. Data were recorded and analyzed statistically by one-way ANOVA and Tukey Test at 5% significance level. The composite resin with greater size of inorganic fillers (TPH) showed the lowest mass loss and surface roughness means, indicating a higher resistance to toothbrush abrasion (p<0.05). Definite cured with LED presented the least resistance to toothbrush abrasion, showing the highest means of surface roughness and mass loss (p<0.05). The LED source did not show the same effectiveness as the halogen lamp for polymerizing this specific composite resin. When the composite resins were cured a halogen LCU, no statistically significant difference was observed among the materials (p>0.05). It may be concluded that the type of light-curing unit and the resin composition seemed to interfere with the materials' resistance to abrasion.

Microwave energy has been used as an alternative method for disinfection and sterilization of dental prostheses. This study evaluated the influence of microwave treatment on dimensional accuracy along the posterior palatal border of maxillary acrylic resin denture bases processed by water-bath curing. Thirty maxillary acrylic bases (3-mm-thick) were made on cast models with Clássico acrylic resin using routine technique. After polymerization and cooling, the sets were deflasked and the bases were stored in water for 30 days. Thereafter, the specimens were assigned to 3 groups (n=10), as follows: group I (control) was not submitted to any disinfection cycle; group II was submitted to microwave disinfection for 3 min at 500 W; and in group III microwaving was done for 10 min at 604 W. The acrylic bases were fixed on their respective casts with instant adhesive (Super Bonder) and the base/cast sets were sectioned transversally in the posterior palatal zone. The existence of gaps between the casts and acrylic bases was assessed using a profile projector at 5 points. No statistically significant differences were observed between the control group and group II. However, group III differed statistically from the others (p<0.05). Treatment in microwave oven at 604 W for 10 min produced the greatest discrepancies in the adaptation of maxillary acrylic resin denture bases to the stone casts.