Characterization and Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Artificial Teeth

Objectives: Tooth loss is a universal dental dilemma encountered at some point in life ,with the best treatment option till date being artificial tooth replacement.
In this study, five brands of artificial teeth(i.e Artis,Well bite,Crisma,Pigeon and Vital), designated group A-E respectively,were obtained from the local market and investigated.
Methods: The respective groups of artificial teeth namely group A-E , were characterized with both FTIR and SEM analysis. They were also evaluated for their mechanical properties using Universal testing machine and Vickers hardness tester.
Results: The FTIR results displayed the characteristic peaks assigned to PMMA polymer. SEM analysis showed that the studied artificial teeth have different morphology after polishing with 400-2000 grit Silicon carbide paper. The mechanical properties show different values and were found correlated with their price values.
Conclusions: This study would provide a comparative analysis of the commercially available denture teeth options and hence be valuable in their clinical selection.