This study aimed to evaluate the effect of retention hole designs in artificial teeth on failure resistance of the connection with a thermoplastic denture base resin. Artificial teeth with the following retention hole designs were attached to polyester and polyamide resins: no hole, vertical hole, horizontal hole, and vertical and horizontal holes. An artificial tooth with no hole attached to polymethyl methacrylate was prepared as the control. The load was applied until connection failure occurred between the artificial tooth and resin, and failure resistance was detected. Although the control showed the highest resistance, the artificial tooth with vertical and horizontal holes showed higher resistance than those with other retention hole designs in both thermoplastic resins. Providing vertical and horizontal retention holes in artificial teeth may be effective in improving failure resistance of the connection with thermoplastic resins.
Keywords: Artificial tooth; Removable dentures; Retention hole design; Thermoplastic resin.