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Advances in Polymeric Dental Materials (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 766

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Dentistry, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
Interests: oral surgery; dental materials; oral cancer; implant dentistry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Materials science has always been tied to the development of dentistry. Firstly, metals allowed for a significant number of dental rehabilitations. Advances in ceramics and porcelains have direct application potential in dental aesthetics. Likewise, the incorporation of rubber opened new avenues for dental prostheses, and, at the end of the last century, acid etching techniques allowed for adhesion between different types of materials and the tooth, thus initiating the era of adhesive dentistry. Polymeric materials now also play a significant role in dentistry. Polymers are widely applied in different fields, including dentistry, especially adhesive dentistry. Polymers can be used in dental implantology, as well as in the manufacture of new splints for orthodontics and materials that can be applied for oral surgery or conservative dentistry. This field is in a state of continuous development, justifying the creation of this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Daniel Torres-Lagares
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • polymeric composite materials
  • polymeric dental cements
  • polymeric adhesive materials
  • polymeric procoagulants
  • polymerics materials for oral tissue regeneration
  • polymerics materials in implant dentistry
  • polymerics materials in virtual planned dentistry
  • polymerics materials in orthodontic appliances

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

21 pages, 3825 KB  
Article
Surface Characteristics and Hydrolytic Stability in Milled and 3D-Printed PMMA Dental Materials
by Liliana Porojan, Flavia Roxana Bejan, Roxana Diana Vasiliu, Mihaela Ionela Gherban, Lavinia Cristina Moleriu and Anamaria Matichescu
Polymers 2026, 18(5), 597; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18050597 - 28 Feb 2026
Viewed by 465
Abstract
This study investigated how fabrication method (milling versus 3D printing) affects the water sorption and solubility of PMMA dental materials, and how surface characteristics affect hydrolytic stability. Fifty-six PMMA samples were divided into three groups fabricated from CAD/CAM milled discs (Group A: I–III) [...] Read more.
This study investigated how fabrication method (milling versus 3D printing) affects the water sorption and solubility of PMMA dental materials, and how surface characteristics affect hydrolytic stability. Fifty-six PMMA samples were divided into three groups fabricated from CAD/CAM milled discs (Group A: I–III) and four groups from 3D-printed resin (Group B: IV–VII), each subjected to distinct postprocessing protocols. Water sorption (wsp) and solubility (wsl) were measured after immersion in distilled water at 37 °C for 24, 48, and 72 h, and 7 and 14 days. Surface topography and nanoroughness were assessed using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Statistical descriptive analyses were followed by correlation analyses. Milled PMMA demonstrated significantly lower water sorption and negative solubility (mass loss), indicating material dissolution. In contrast, 3D-printed PMMA showed higher water sorption and positive solubility (mass gain), reflecting water incorporation and polymer swelling. The kinetic profiles differed: milled PMMA displayed a monophasic absorption curve, while 3D-printed PMMA exhibited a biphasic pattern with accelerated water uptake after 72 h. AFM analysis revealed that 3D-printed surfaces had significantly greater nanoroughness than milled surfaces. Strong positive correlations were observed between surface roughness parameters (Sa, Sy) and water sorption capacity. The fabrication method was found to influence the hydrolytic stability of PMMA dental materials. Milled PMMA demonstrated superior stability, with lower water uptake, smoother surfaces, and lower leaching solubility. In contrast, 3D-printed PMMA exhibited increased surface roughness and water sorption, attributed to its layered microstructure and nanoporosity. Surface topography emerged as a strong predictor of wsl, related to hydrolytic degradation. For clinical applications, milled PMMA is recommended for long-term use requiring durability, whereas 3D-printed PMMA may be appropriate for short-term applications with optimised postprocessing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Polymeric Dental Materials (2nd Edition))
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