# Microbial adherence and surface roughness of denture base materials: An in vitro study

## TL;DR

This study compares denture materials and finds that CAD/CAM milled resin has smoother surfaces and less microbial buildup than other materials.

## Contribution

The study provides new empirical evidence on how material processing affects microbial adherence in dentures.

## Key findings

- CAD/CAM milled resin had the lowest surface roughness and microbial adherence.
- Heat-cured PMMA had the highest surface roughness and microbial adherence.
- Surface roughness strongly correlates with microbial adherence (r = 0.86).

## Abstract

Implant-supported overdentures have become a widely accepted treatment modality for edentulous patients, offering enhanced retention,
stability and comfort compared to conventional complete dentures. Hence, a total of 78 standardized specimens were fabricated and
divided into three groups (n = 26 each): Group A (heat-cured PMMA), Group B (CAD/CAM milled resin) and Group C (3D-printed resin). Group
B exhibited the lowest surface roughness (0.62 ± 0.12 µm) and microbial adherence (0.41 ± 0.09 OD), followed by
Group C (1.25 ± 0.18 µm Ra; 0.68 ± 0.12 OD), while Group A showed the highest values (1.82 ± 0.23 µm
Ra; 0.91 ± 0.15 OD). All intergroup comparisons were statistically significant (p < 0.001). A strong positive correlation (r =
0.86, p < 0.001) was observed between surface roughness and microbial adherence. It is concluded that CAD/CAM milled resin offers
superior surface smoothness and reduced microbial adherence compared to heat-cured PMMA and 3D-printed resins.