Clinical Research Directory

Development of a Sanitizing Tablet for Removable Partial Dentures

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a new experimental effervescent tablet works to clean removable partial dentures. It will test if the tablet lowers bacteria and fungi on denture surfaces. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the experimental tablet lower the number of microbes on different denture materials? How happy are participants with the taste, odor, and cleanliness of the tablet? Researchers will compare the experimental tablet to a known commercial cleanser and to a neutral water solution to see which one works best. Total participation will last 70 days. First, researchers will place small material discs on the side of the participant's current denture to collect natural plaque. Participants will wear their dentures 24 hours a day and brush them with soap and water after meals. Participants will then cycle through three separate 14-day testing phases. In each phase, participants will soak their dentures daily for 15 minutes in one of the assigned solutions. Participants will also have a 7-day break between each phase where they return to their basic regular cleaning routine. At the end of each testing phase, researchers will remove the small discs to count the microbes in a laboratory. Participants will also answer a short survey about their satisfaction with each product.

Microbial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation on Denture Base Materials

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) has been the material of choice for fabricating complete dentures for more than 80 years now.(1,2) As a material it is easy to handle and can be easily repaired and polished. PMMA while being a low-cost material has good esthetics. Some disadvantages of PMMA as a material are surface roughness and porosities which lead to staining, plaque accumulation and bacterial adhesion over time. Among the various factors that can influence microbial attachment to surfaces, surface roughness, hydrophilicity and free surface energy of PMMA are most important. Carboxylate and methyl ester groups found in PMMA make it a very hydrophilic material with a large amount of free surface energy. Despite the influence of the chemical composition, processing methods play the most important role in developing surface roughness.