Effect of additive manufacturing method and build angle on surface characteristics and Candida albicans adhesion to 3D printed denture base polymers

Ping Li; Pablo Kraemer Fernandez; Sebastian Spintzyk; Franziska Schmidt; Florian Beuer; Alexey Unkovskiy

doi:10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103889

Effect of additive manufacturing method and build angle on surface characteristics and Candida albicans adhesion to 3D printed denture base polymers

J Dent. 2022 Jan:116:103889. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103889. Epub 2021 Nov 17.

Authors

Ping Li¹, Pablo Kraemer Fernandez², Sebastian Spintzyk³, Franziska Schmidt⁴, Florian Beuer⁴, Alexey Unkovskiy⁵

Affiliations

¹ Center of Oral Implantology, Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, South Jiangnan Road No. 366, Guangzhou 510280, China; Section Medical Materials Science and Technology, Tübingen University Hospital, Osianderstr. 2-8, Tübingen 72076, Germany. Electronic address: pingli_88@smu.edu.cn.
² Department of Prosthodontics at the Centre of Dentistry, Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Surgery with Dental School, Tübingen University Hospital, Osianderstr. 2-8, Tübingen 72076, Germany.
³ Section Medical Materials Science and Technology, Tübingen University Hospital, Osianderstr. 2-8, Tübingen 72076, Germany; ADMiRE Lab - Additive Manufacturing, intelligent Robotics, Sensors and Engineering, School of Engineering and IT, Carinthia University of Applied Sciences, Villach, Austria.
⁴ Department of Prosthodontics, Geriatric Dentistry and Craniomandibular Disorders, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Aßmannshauser Str. 4-6, Berlin 14197, Germany.
⁵ Department of Prosthodontics, Geriatric Dentistry and Craniomandibular Disorders, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Aßmannshauser Str. 4-6, Berlin 14197, Germany; Department of Dental Surgery, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Bolshaya Pirogovskaya Street, 19с1, Moscow 119146, Russia.

PMID: 34800586
DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103889

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the influence of additive manufacturing method and build angle on surface characteristics and Candida albicans (C. albicans) adhesion to 3D printed denture base polymers.

Methods: Specimens of 3D printing denture base polymers were prepared by two printers, namely, stereolithography (SLA, Form 3B) and digital light processing technology (DLP, Solflex 350 plus). Three build angles were used: 0°, 45°, and 90°. Surface topography was examined by scanning electron microscopy. Also, arithmetical mean height (S_a) values were calculated. An adhesion test was performed to observe initial C. albicans adhesion to the specimens. The data were statistically analyzed using the two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's multiple comparison test.

Results: The data of S_a values had statistically significant differences, which were mainly determined by the main factor of build angle (p < 0.05). Moreover, the quantitative results of C. albicans adhesion exhibited no significant differences: printing techniques (p = 0.7794) and build angle (p = 0.0589), respectively.

Conclusions: Surface roughness was significantly influenced by the build angle rather than by the AM method. Whereas, AM method (SLA and DLP) and build angle (0°, 45°, and 90º) had no impacts on the C. albicans adhesion to the 3D printed denture bases.

Clinical significance: Build angle dominates the surface roughness and topography of the 3D printed denture polymers. Our results indicate that C. albicans' adhesion might not be influenced by AM method and build angle.

Keywords: 3D printing; Additive manufacturing; CAD/CAM; Characterization; Digital denture; Vat photopolymerization.

MeSH terms

Candida albicans*
Denture Bases*
Materials Testing
Polymers / pharmacology
Printing, Three-Dimensional
Surface Properties

Substances

Polymers