Mechanical Properties of 3D-Printed Experimental Antifungal Denture Base Resin

Objectives: To test the mechanical properties of experimental antifungal denture base resins fabricated by 3D printing.
Methods: Two new antifungal dimethacrylate monomers C12DABCOC2DMA and C16DABCOC2DMA containing 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) different aliphatic chains (C12 and C16) were synthesized. Previously synthesized antifungal monomethacrylate monomer C12DABCOC2MA and fluconazole (an antifungal drug) were also included in the study. The control resin was Dentca Denture Base II (DENTCA, Torrance, CA USA). Four experimental resins were formulated by adding 5wt% of each antifungal monomer and fluconazole to the control. Bar specimens (2x2x25mm, n=12) for were prepared by 3D printing on Freeform Pro2 3D printer (ASIGA, Sydney, Australia). Flexural strength and flexural modulus were tested using a three-point-bending device Intron machine after specimens were stored in 37°C deionized water for 24 h and some of them for 3 months. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey test (a=0.05).
Results: The results are shown in Table 1. The groups C12DABCOC2DMA and C16DABCOC2DMA have similar flexural strength to the control, which is higher than C12DABCOC2MA and Flu. The flexural modulus of all experimental groups are similar to control at 24 hrs but decreased after 3 months.
Conclusions: The 3D-prined experimental denture base resins containing new antifungal dimethacrylate monomers have better mechanical properties than those containing antifungal monomethacrylate monomer and free antifungal drug.