Clinical survey of acrylic resin removable denture repairs with glass-fiber reinforcement.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical usefulness and durability of continuous glass-fiber reinforcement in repair of acrylic resin removable dentures.


METHODS
Fractured removable dentures without reinforcement, with conventional metal-wire reinforcement, or with mesh reinforcement were collected from two dental schools in Finland. The total number of dentures was 51 and the number of patients was 48. During the repair, the dentures were reinforced with a polymer-preimpregnated E-glass fiber at the region of the fracture. The fibers were used as partial fiber reinforcement, i.e., only the weakest part of the denture was reinforced. Follow-up time varied from 4 months to 4.1 years. After the follow-up period, possible fractures and discoloring were visually inspected. Possible irritation of oral mucosa by glass fibers and the general shape of the denture were also evaluated.


RESULTS
In 88% of the cases, there was no need for adjustment at the region of partial fiber reinforcement, and the clinical condition of the dentures was good. Glass fibers did not irritate the oral mucosa. In the case of refracture or hairline fracture, positioning of the partial fiber reinforcement was incorrect or the reinforcement had been used incorrectly (the wetting of the reinforcement with denture base resin was inadequate).


CONCLUSIONS
Polymer-preimpregnated partial fiber reinforcement seems to be useful in eliminating fractures of acrylic resin removable dentures. However, this study emphasizes the importance of correct positioning and accurate laboratory technique when partial fiber reinforcement is used.
Narva
K K
KK
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Biomaterials Project, University of Turku, Lemminkäisenkatu 2, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland. katja.narva@utu.fi
Vallittu
P K
PK
Helenius
H
H
Yli-Urpo
A
A
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D003116:Color; D003722:Dental Alloys; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D017269:Dental Prosthesis Repair; D003819:Denture Bases; D003779:Denture Design; D003823:Denture Rebasing; D003832:Denture, Partial, Removable; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D003722:Dental Alloys; D003764:Dental Materials; C009753:fiberglass