ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study compared fracture strength and fracture modes between metal wire reinforcement and glass fiber reinforcement in repaired maxillary complete denture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, fracture was reproduced on center of maxillary complete dentures and the denture was repaired with auto-polymerizing resin. The experimental groups (n = 10) were subjected to the following condition: without reinforcing material (control group), reinforcing with metal wire (W group), reinforcing with glass fiber pre-impregnated with light-curing resin (SES MESH, INNO Dental Co., Yeoncheon, Korea, G group). The fracture strength and fracture modes of a maxillary complete denture were tested using Instron test machine (Instron Co., Canton, MA, USA) at a 5.0 mm/min crosshead speed. The flexure load was applied to center of denture with a 20 mm diameter ball attachment. When fracture occurred, the fracture mode was classified based on fracture lines. The Kruskal-wallis test and the Mann-whitney U test were performed to identify statistical differences at alpha=.05. RESULTS: W group showed the highest value of fracture strength, there was no significant difference (P>.05) between control group and G group. Control group and W group showed anteroposterior fracture mainly, group W showed adhesive fracture of denture base and reinforcing material. CONCLUSION: In limitation of this study, the glass fiber did not improve the fracture strength of repaired maxillary complete denture, and adhesive failure was occurred along the lines of glass fiber.