Characterization And Comparison Of High-Performance Polymer, Polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) Reinforced On Three-Dimensional (3D) Printed Denture Base With Conventional Denture Base

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is a synthetic resin commonly used in denture fabrication. However, the limitations of PMMA regarding the polymer strength of mechanical properties and restrained bacterial activity have hindered its extensive clinical application. This research aims to investigate the mechanical, physical, optical and biological properties of polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) as additives in the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) based resin and its potential for dental prostheses applications. Four compositions of weight percentage ratio of polyetherketoneketone, (PEKK): 0.5,1,2, and 3 wt.% were incorporated within the polymethymethacrylate (PMMA) based resin were prepared through polymer blending. The samples were designed with specific dimension according to International Standard Organization (ISO) and divided for each of characterizations accordingly. Mechanical properties were characterized in terms of fracture toughness, flexural strength, and Vickers microhardness. Followed by physical and optical properties; Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and the colour analysis (Spectrophotometer). Biological properties in term of c.albican colonization and cell cytotoxicity. The data were evaluated and analysed by using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed the fabrication of PEKK-PMMA group of 1wt.% composite resin achieved high maximum strength of flexural (116.89 ± 7.52) MPa compared to control PMMA group (84.35 ± 7.09) and conventional heat-polymerized (87.76 ± 11.74) MPa. Meanwhile for the fracture toughness (Kmax), conventional heat-polymerized demonstrated the highest fracture toughness (1.94±0.40) MPa/m2, however the group of 2wt.% of PEKK showed higher Kmax (1.60 ± 0.39) MPa/m2 compared to the control group of PMMA (1.39 ± 0.31) MPa/m2. Vickers microhardness test showed the incorporated group of 1wt.% PEKK was higher (19.19 ± 0.64) HV0.25Kg compared to control PMMA group (18.47 ± 1.31) HV0.25Kg. For the optical properties, the colour changes of 3D printed with incorporated PEKK did not affect the colour changing (∆E). The surface morphological analysis showed the porosity on surface roughness 3D-printed sample resin matrix compared to the conventional method. Even so, the PEKK incorporated into PMMA resin help to reduce the porosity and aid by possibly acts as filler toward denture base material. Nonetheless, biological testing for adherence analysis showed the adhesion of c.albicans on denture bases incorporated with high-performance polymer polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) exhibited less adhesion of c.albicans on surface denture base compared to the 3D printed denture bases resin polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). Meanwhile, for the cell viability test showed the PEKK-PMMA composite resin low toxicity. In conclusion, the reinforced composite resins PEKK-PMMA showed great potential as denture base material due to their excellent mechanical strength, least of c.albicans adherence on denture, and low cytotoxic effects along with the advancement of 3D printing technology.