Effect of polyester fiber reinforcement on the mechanical properties of interim fixed partial dentures

AbstractBackgroundDifferent reinforcements currently available for interim fixed partial denture (FPD) materials do not provide the ideal strength for long-term use. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to develop a more ideal provisional material for long-term use with better mechanical properties. This study evaluated the effectiveness of polyester fiber reinforcement on different interim FPD materials.MethodsThirty resin-bonded FPDs were constructed from three provisional interim FPD materials. Specimens were tested with a universal testing machine (UTM). The modulus of elasticity and flexural strength were recorded in MPa. The compressive strength and degree of deflection were calculated from the obtained values, and a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the significance.ResultsThe polyester fiber reinforcement increased the mechanical properties. The modulus of elasticity for heat-polymerized polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) was 624MPa, compared to 700.2MPa for the reinforced heat-cured sample. The flexural strengths of the bis-acrylic and cold-polymerized reinforced samples increased significantly to 2807MPa and 979.86MPa, respectively, compared to the nonreinforced samples. The mean compressive strength of the reinforced cold-polymerized PMMA samples was 439.17MPa; and for the reinforced heat-polymerized PMMA samples, it was 1117.41MPa. The degree of deflection was significantly greater (P