Image processing as a tool for evaluating denture adhesives removal techniques

An in vitro study on the selection of surfactants for removal of cream denture adhesives from dentures and their application to denture cleaners

PURPOSE

Denture adhesives improve the stability of incompatible dentures; however, complete removal of adhesives after use is difficult. Only a few studies have focused on the removal of denture adhesives. Hence, this study aimed to assess the efficacy of surfactants in removing cream denture adhesives from acrylic resin materials.

METHODS

Solutions of twelve surfactants with various hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) values were prepared. Two cream denture adhesives, colored for visualization, were spread onto transparent acrylic resin plates. After immersion into surfactant solutions, the effects of the surfactants on residual adhesives were evaluated. We also investigated the effect of denture cleaners (with or without the surfactants) on the removability of adhesives and artificial oily dirt, and their effects on the surface properties of denture materials. The obtained data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods.

RESULTS

Five surfactants [BT-5, BL-4.2, BT-7, BT-9, and Triton X-100 (TX)] with HLB values in the 10.5-13.5 range effectively removed adhesives. Addition of BT-9 and TX (HLB=13.5) to denture cleaners improved the adhesives' removal. Furthermore, the addition of TX to the cleaners did not interfere with the removal of artificial oily dirt and did not damage the denture materials' surface.

CONCLUSION

Surfactants with HLB values in the 10.5-13.5 range are suitable for removal of cream denture adhesives from acrylic resin materials. In particular, TX (HLB=13.5) efficiently removes adhesives without damaging denture materials or impairing original detergency.

Properties and characteristics of foam denture cleaners as denture adhesive removers

The need for denture adhesives is increasing worldwide, but few denture-care products target denture adhesive users. Foam denture cleaners have been recently marketed to assist brush denture cleaning, but there is a lack of objective evaluation. In this study, we compared the detergency of denture adhesives using six commercial foam-denture cleaners. For removing the adhesives, most of the tested cleaners were effective in immersion experiments, and three cleaners were more effective in the denture cleaning experiment compared to control water. However, only one could effectively remove the slime that is derived from the adhesive and detergency of artificial dirt. The surface roughnesses of the denture base and the relining material revealed that prolonged immersion in some cleaners could be affected. The results suggest that different commercial foam denture cleaners have different detergency levels, and that some cleaners may affect the properties of denture materials upon long-term use.

Removal of denture adhesives from PMMA and Polyamide denture base materials

Denture adhesives need complete removal due to their frequent replacement.