A Push-out Bond Strength Study and Interface Analysis of New Porous Titanium Dental Post Luted with Resin Cement This study aimed to compare the push-out bond strength (PBS) between a new porous titanium post (PTP) and other marketed dental posts cemented with two types of dual-cure resin cement. A total of 96 extracted single-rooted human teeth were recruited. Four types of dental posts (n = 24 each), namely: stainless steel post (SSP), commercially-pure titanium post (CTP), fibre glass post (FGP), and PTP were cemented with two types of resin cements (RelyX U200 and ParaCore) and then sectioned at coronal and middle root levels. The specimens were subjected to a PBS test at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The interface analysis was performed using a stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant for all statistical tests. PBS recordings showed that the highest PBS mean value in RelyX group was 2.68±1.10 MPa for PTP. The differences in PBS between PTP and SSP and FGP were not significant (p = 0.098 and p = 0.075, respectively). The null hypothesis for RelyX group at both coronal and middle sections of the root was retained (p > 0.05). No failure at the post-cement interface was found in the PTP group, which was founder superior over the other posts (no gap for this interface was observed). The PTP showed similar bonding strength and adhesion to the other tested posts when using RelyX U200 cement. The PTP can be considered a new alternative option for the dental post system.

ENHANCEMENT OF ANTIFUNGAL EFFECT ON DENTURE BASE RESIN THROUGH MICROCAPSULES DRUG DELIVERY TECHNOLOGY USING TEA TREE OIL AND ITS CHARACTERISATION The introduction of organic materials into polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) resin has been implemented to reinforce the antimicrobial properties in oral denture bases. A new drug delivery technique using polylactic acid (PLA) microcapsules infuses with organic ingredients such as tea tree oil (TTO). When incorporated into PMMA resin, these microcapsules will provide an effective antifungal effect on the denture surface. The objective is to investigate the antifungal interaction of PLA/TTO microcapsules in polymerised PMMA denture base resin against Candida albicans. An advanced encapsulation technique was performed to synthesise PLA microcapsules containing TTO. The TTO/PLA microcapsules were characterised using Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis), Fourier-transform Infrared (FTIR), Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Three different concentrations of prepared microcapsules (TTO: PLA (% w/w)), 10%, 50% and 100% were incorporated into polymerised PMMA denture resin. The tested materials were subsequently evaluated for antifungal activity for several weeks at intervals of 7, 14 and 30 days using the well diffusion test. Further observation through SEM was included to assess the attachment of oral microorganisms to the surface of the modified denture base. From the spectroscopic analysis, the microcapsules were successfully synthesised using a new drug delivery encapsulation method. The antifungal activity of polymerised PMMA denture incorporated with TTO/PLA microcapsules demonstrated a significant effect (p<0.05) against C. albicans, where the inhibition area increased as the concentration increased. The study demonstrated that organic TTO can be encapsulated with PLA, potentially serving as a drug delivery vehicle for controlling drug release. Incorporating TTO/PLA microcapsules into PMMA denture base can significantly enhance the antifungal effect on the denture surface, offering potential usefulness for denture users in the future.