Effect of Two Different Disinfectant Agents on Wettability of Elastomeric Impression Materials

This study aims to evaluate surface wettability of additional silicone impression materials, which are immersed in different disinfecting agents with different time intervals. Ninety disk-shaped specimens to be eighteen specimens from each of five different impression materials (four vinyl polysiloxane and one vinyl polyether siloxane) were prepared. The specimens were divided into six groups according to the disinfecting agents (one of them containing ethanol and other one containing benzalkonium chloride) and periods. Then, the specimens were immersed in two disinfecting agents for 1 minute, 1 hour and 24 hours. Later, surface wettability was tested and recorded. Data were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA). There was no difference between impression materials and disinfectants in terms of the effect on the contact angle (p>0.05), and there was a significant difference between disinfection times (p=0.001). One-minute disinfection process increases wettability of specimens compared to long term disinfections.