Evaluation of PMMA Waste in the Production of Dentures

A significant amount of PMMA waste (processed resin, primarily particulate) is generated in the production of dentures, costing Canadian denturists $160,000 annually. Though this waste is presently sent to landfill, Dentsply, a manufacturer and distributor of dental consumables, has identified an alternate use for the waste as a strengthening reinforcement for its virgin material in the production of dentures. Dentsply has partnered with GBC’s Deepak Naik (Denturism), Diana Facchini (ORI) and two student research assistants (Denturism) to conduct a proof of principle evaluation of the mechanical (tensile, compressive, bending), optical (colour, gloss), and physical (filler distribution, shrinkage) properties of PMMA with 0, 15, 25 and 35vol% PMMA waste filler.