Fluid ingress and surface wettability of 3D-printed closed-hollow obturator specimens across material types and printing orientations.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of material type, printing orientation, and thermocycling on cumulative fluid ingress in three-dimensional (3D)-printed closed-hollow obturator specimens and to compare water contact angle among material-printing orientation groups.

Materials and methods: Standardized closed-hollow obturator specimens were fabricated from NextDent Denture 3D+, Apex Base, and MED610 at 0°, 45°, and 90° (n = 10 per subgroup). After 24 h of conditioning, the specimens were weighed at baseline and after 5000 and 10,000 thermocycles. Fluid ingress was quantified as net and relative weight change from baseline. Water contact angle before thermocycling was measured using the sessile-drop method. Weight outcomes were analyzed with three-way mixed analysis of variance and contact angle with two-way analysis of variance (α = 0.05).

Results: Both weight outcomes increased from 5000 to 10,000 thermocycles in all groups. Material, printing orientation, and thermocycling level significantly affected fluid ingress. Apex Base showed the greatest cumulative mass gain; NextDent Denture 3D+, intermediate values; and MED610, the lowest. Descriptively, values were highest at 0° and lowest at 90°. At 10,000 cycles, the highest mean net weight change occurred in Apex Base 0°, and the lowest in MED610 90°. Contact angle was significantly affected by material and orientation; NextDent Denture 3D+ showed the highest values, and MED610 the lowest.

Conclusion: Cumulative fluid ingress increases with thermocycling and is influenced by material type and printing orientation in 3D-printed obturators. Surface wettability differs among groups but does not directly correspond to fluid ingress behavior.