Abstract
The obturators are prostheses used to close palatal defects after maxillectomy, to restore masticatory function and to improve speech, deglutition and esthetics. The most commonly used materials in manufacturing maxillary obturator prosthesis are the acrylic resins. The aim of the paper is to present experimental compression and traction tests in order to determine the material properties of Meliodent® Heat Cure produced by Heraeus Kulzer GmbH Germany. This is a two component heat curing polymer used for manufacturing fixed and removable prosthetic devices. Test results show that the average compressive strength of the samples is 94 MPa, while the average compression modulus for all resin samples tested was calculated at 716 MPa. The average ultimate tensile strength of the samples is 58.72 MPa and the average modulus of elasticity for all resin samples tested was determined to be 4213 MPa.
Keywords: obturator prosthesis; heat-cured PMMA; compressive strength; tensile strength