Comparative evaluation of the effect of denture cleansers on the surface topography of denture base materials: An in-vitro study

AIMS: The aim was to evaluate and compare the effects of three chemically different commercially available denture cleansing agents on the surface topography of two different denture base materials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three chemically different denture cleansers (sodium perborate, 1% sodium hypochlorite, 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate) were used on two denture base materials (acrylic resin and chrome cobalt alloy) and the changes were evaluated at 3 times intervals (56 h, 120 h, 240 h). Changes from baseline for surface roughness were recorded using a surface profilometer and standard error of the mean (SEM) both quantitatively and qualitatively, respectively. Qualitative surface analyses for all groups were done by SEM. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The values obtained were analyzed statistically using one-way ANOVA and paired t-test. RESULTS: All three denture cleanser solutions showed no statistically significant surface changes on the acrylic resin portions at 56 h, 120 h, and 240 h of immersion. However, on the alloy portion changes were significant at the end of 120 h and 240 h. CONCLUSION: Of the three denture cleansers used in the study, none produced significant changes on the two denture base materials for the short duration of immersion, whereas changes were seen as the immersion periods were increased.