Effect of incorporating calcium carbonate nanoparticles on the mechanical properties of 3D-printed acrylic resin

Denture base materials made using three-dimensional printing (3D printing) have expanded in availability, contributing to the meteoric rise of this innovative dental technique. Despite 3D-printed denture resins having good biocompatibility and esthetics, achieving superior mechanics in these materials is still difficult. This study aimed to find out how adding calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) nanoparticles to 3D-printed denture base resin affected its surface hardness, impact strength, and flexural strength. The ninety 3D printed samples were allocated into three groups following the amount of CaCO 3 NPs added to the resin: one control group had no CaCO 3 , and two modified groups—one had 1.5 wt.%, and the other group had 2 wt.%. Surface hardness, impact, and flexural strength were the three test specifications used to further divide each group into three subgroups. Analysis was also conducted utilizing energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). All data were statistically analyzed. The results verified that adding CaCO 3 NPs to the 3D-printed denture resin significantly boosted its impact strength, flexural, and surface hardness ( P value < 0.05). These findings indicate potential for developing a novel denture base constructed from 3D-printed nanocomposites with enhanced material properties.