A COMPARISON OF CHANGE IN HARDNESS IN TWO SILICONE-BASED DENTURE RELINERS STORED IN ARTIFICIAL SALIVA- AN IN VITRO STUDY

Introduction: ​Resilient lining materials are used on dental prostheses to aid in the distribution of functional loads to the denture bearing areas, to avoid localized stress concentrations, and to improve retention by engaging undercuts. ​The major requirements for long-term, resilient liners are permanent resiliency, high dimensional stability, good adhesion to the denture base, adequate tear resistance and compatibility with oral tissue. The material which increases in hardness during use, loses its therapeutic properties. Aim: ​To compare the difference between the change in hardness in two silicone-based denture reliners after storing in artificial saliva in different time period. Methodology: Two commercially available silicone resilient denture reliners were tested in this comparative in vitro study: Elite soft Relining; Zhermack SpA, GC Reline Soft; GC Corp. Specimens were prepared using metal moulds and stored in artificial saliva and the measurement were taken with Shore A durometer in a period of 1month, 6months and 1 year and the mean was compared. Conclusion: Elite relining material is proved to have greater hardness than Mollosil but both the materials have hardness within the limit of required hardness of long term soft denture liner (LTSDL). b. Elite and Mollosil did not increase their hardness when studied at different time period and this property of stability in hardness overtime is beneficiary for a LTSDL.