Effect of surface treatment methods on the shear bond strength of auto-polymerized resin to thermoplastic denture base polymer

PURPOSE Polyamide polymers do not provide sufficient bond strength to auto-polymerized resins for repairing fractured denture or replacing dislodged denture teeth. Limited treatment methods have been developed to improve the bond strength between auto-polymerized reline resins and polyamide denture base materials. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of surface modification by acetic acid on surface characteristics and bond strength of reline resin to polyamide denture base. MATERIALS AND METHODS 84 polyamide specimens were divided into three surface treatment groups (n=28): control (N), silica-coated (S), and acid-treated (A). Two different auto-polymerized reline resins GC and Triplex resins were bonded to the samples (subgroups T and G, respectively, n=14). The specimens were subjected to shear bond strength test after they were stored in distilled water for 1 week and thermo-cycled for 5000 cycles. Data were analyzed with independent t-test, two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey's post hoc multiple comparison test (α=.05). RESULTS The bond strength values of A and S were significantly higher than those of N (P<.001 for both). However, statistically significant difference was not observed between group A and group S. According to the independent Student's t-test, the shear bond strength values of AT were significantly higher than those of AG (P<.001). CONCLUSION The surface treatment of polyamide denture base materials with acetic acid may be an efficient and cost-effective method for increasing the shear bond strength to auto-polymerized reline resin.