Comparative Evaluation of Flexural Strength of Heat Polymerized Denture Base Resin after Reinforcement with Glass Fibers, Nylon Fibers, Carbon Fibers and Polyaramid Fibers: An In-Vitro Study

Introduction: Fracture of denture is of important concern in areas of heavy occlusal stress. This study was an in-vitro study done to evaluate and compare the flexural strength of heat polymerized poly methylmethacrylate denture base resins on reinforcement with Nylon fibers, Carbon fibers, Polyaramid fibers and Glass fibers. Method: A stainless steel die was used as a standard die and a total of 50 heat cured PMMA resin samples were fabricated using the same die and divided into 5 groups, having 10 samples in each group. The samples were tested on universal testing machine& three point bending test was done. Then flexural strength of each sample was calculated. Mean value of flexural strength of each group was used for statistical analysis. Results: Results showed that the mean flexural strength of the unreinforced PMMA samples was 55.78N/mm2. Mean flexural strength of the reinforced PMMA (4 % polyaramid fibers) was 81.38 N/mm2, for 4 % glass fiber it was 73.67 N/mm2, for 4 % nylon fibers it was 58.91N/mm2 and for 4 % carbon fibers it was 57.62N/mm2. One-way analysis of variance showed that the fibers significantly affected the flexural strength of PMMA. Interpretation and Conclusion: Polyaramid fibers had a marked improvement in the flexural strength of PMMA as compared to unreinforced PMMA.