Analysis of the Cytotoxic Effects in Removable Dentures Fabricated Using Two Different Processing Techniques: An Observational Comparative Study

Objective: To compare the cytotoxicity of polymethyl methacrylate dentures fabricated through compression molded and injection molded processing techniques. Material and Methods: The injection-molded group utilized IVOCAP resin, while the compression-molded group used DPI heat-cure resin. Twenty patients were selected and divided into two groups of ten. Buccal epithelial cells were collected from each patient pre-insertion and three months post-insertion of the dentures. The micronucleus assay was used to determine cytotoxicity. Intergroup comparisons were conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test, while intragroup comparisons were carried out using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: The intergroup comparison demonstrated a statistically significant difference in the dimensions of micronuclei measured post-smear (p=0.027). The group using the compression molding technique had higher mean values of micronuclei (24.2 ± 7.6) than the injection-molded technique. Intragroup comparisons conducted with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed a highly significant difference between pre-smear and post-smear values in both groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: Injection-molded dentures demonstrated significantly lower cytotoxicity than those fabricated using the compression-molding technique.