The Effect of Titanium Oxide Nanotubes on the Surface Hardness of a Three-Dimensional Printed Denture Base Material

الملخص

Background: In the field of dentistry, there has been a growing prevalence of digital manufacturing technologies in recent years. Presently, the manufacturing of removable complete dentures using three-dimensional printing can be achieved through the utilization of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture (CAD-CAM) technology. This technology combines additive and subtractive techniques, commonly referred to as fast prototyping and three-dimensional printing, and employs PMMA professional light-curing resin as the material. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of titanium oxide nanotubes on the hardness of the underlying material utilized in 3D printed dentures. Materials and methods: The specimens were generated using 3D builder software developed by Microsoft Corporation, utilizing computer-aided design techniques. Specimens were designed with particular dimensions in compliance with the test standards for hardness. The denture resin 3D printed with titanium oxide nanotubes (Howngue, China TiO2 / D: 15-30 nm / L: 2-3 nm) was categorized into five groups (group 1 - 1% / group 2 - 1.5% / group 3 - 2% / group 4 - 2.5% / group 5 - 3%) based on weight. The specimens were printed using the Asiga max 3D printer, which utilizes digital light processing technology and is manufactured in Australia. Results: The average hardness values for the groups reinforced with 1% by weight of titanium oxide nanotubes showed a significant increase compared to the control group and with 1.5 % showed no significant difference. In contrast, the values for the other reinforcement groups declined considerably. Conclusion: The hardness of denture bases made from three-dimensionally printed material was successfully increased by including titanium nanotubes at concentrations of 1% by weight.