EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT CLEANERS ON THE SURFACE ROUGHNESS OF POLYURETHANE RETAINERS

Abstract

This experimental study aimed to evaluate the effects of two cleaning agents—Sunlight dishwashing solution and Furano—compared with artificial saliva on the surface roughness of polyurethane retainer material at
0, 1, 3, and 6 months. Specimens were fabricated using thermoforming process and subsequently subjected to a 28-day coffee-staining solution, followed by repeated cleaning cycles. Surface roughness was evaluated by stylus profilometer. The effects of cleaning agent, time, and their interaction were analyzed using two-way repeated ANOVA was used to compare groups at each time point. The results demonstrated no significant differences in surface roughness among the cleaning-agent groups at any time point (p > 0.05). Clinically, these findings indicate that, during long-term use of polyurethane retainers, commonly used cleaning agents do not produce significant changes in surface roughness, supporting surface stability and the suitability of polyurethane as a retainer material for long-term use.

Keywords: Polyurethane; Clear Retainer; Cleaning Agent; Cleaning Cycles; Surface Roughness