Influence of Depth Alignment of E-Glass Fiber Reinforcements on Dental Base Polymer Flexural Strength

Abstract Fractures of denture base polymer material are one of the most frequent reasons for repair of removable dentures. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of depth alignment of glass fiber reinforcements onto denture base polymer flexural obtained with the “short beam” testing method. The study showed higher values of flexural strength when reinforcements were placed 1mm from specimen surface (130,63 to 158,55MPa) compared to 0,5mm distance from specimen surface (117,83 to 153,68MPa). Specimens tested after polymerization had higher flexural strength values than specimens tested after storage in water, while thermocycled specimens unexpectedly revealed the highest values. It could be concluded that fiber reinforcements should be positioned more than 0,5mm (up to 1mm) from the base surface of dental prostheses since lesser distance would diminish the reinforcing effect.