RESUMO
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Cinnamaldehyde has been successfully used for the short-term disinfection of dentures; however, its long-term effects on the surface and color properties of denture base materials remain unknown. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effects of simulated immersion in cinnamaldehyde for up to 5 years on the surface roughness and color parameters of a heat-polymerized denture resin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty Ø10×5-mm disk-shaped specimens were prepared from microwave heat-polymerized polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and immersed in 4 solutions (n=20): TW-tap water (control), SH - 0.5% sodium hypochlorite, PX-alkaline peroxide, and CA-cinnamaldehyde (27 µg/mL). The immersion protocol simulated 104 cycles (3.5 months), 913 cycles (2.5 years), and 1825 immersion cycles (5 years) of a daily immersion cleaning protocol, with immersion times ranging from 10 to 20-minutes. Surface roughness (Sa) and the color parameters of CIELab (L∗ a∗ b∗, ΔEab), CIEDE2000 (ΔE00), and the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) were analyzed at baseline (t=0) and after the immersion cycles. The data were analyzed by 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures and the Tukey post hoc test (α=.01). RESULTS: Sa was significantly increased in all groups after 1825 cycles compared with baseline (P<.01), regardless of the solution. Only the time factor significantly affected ΔEab, ΔE00, and NBS parameters, which were below the perceptibility and acceptability thresholds. After a simulated 5-year immersion, the surface roughness and color values of CA-treated specimens were not statistically different from those of the other groups (P>.01). CONCLUSIONS: Cinnamaldehyde solution (27 µg/mL) produced minor effects on the surface roughness and color parameters of a heat-polymerized denture base resin similar to those of 0.5% sodium hypochlorite and alkaline peroxide after a 5-year simulated immersion.