The restoration of facial aesthetics and improvement of quality of life are primary goals
for patients with facial deformities requiring maxillofacial prostheses [1].https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165580 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/materials
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a growing interest in improving the mechanical or physical properties of elastomers by
incorporating nano-oxide particles, such as ZnO, TiO2, and CeO2, as fillers in silicone-based
elastomers [1,9,10].The
physical and chemical properties of silicone elastomers, which are commonly used in facial
prostheses, are influenced by factors such as crosslinking within their structure and the type
and concentration of fillers in the elastomer network, as well as thermal initiators, other
additives, polymerization time, and temperature [4-6].By utilizing unpigmented silicone elastomers and considering various
materials, this research aims to contribute valuable insights into the field of maxillofacial prosthetics and enhance our understanding of how these treatments can impact
color stability in different clinical scenarios.In this regard, the evaluation of disinfectants and nano-oxides on unpigmented
silicone elastomers serves the purpose of achieving better standardization and facilitating
data interpretation across various elastomer types.However, to achieve better standardization and facilitate data interpretation across various elastomer types, it is essential
to evaluate the effects of disinfectants and nano-oxides on unpigmented silicone elastomers
as well.In this regard, the first part of our study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial properties of
incorporating nano-oxides and different disinfectants in unpigmented maxillofacial silicone
elastomers [18].Cleaning
of silicone prostheses can be achieved through various methods, including mechanical
cleaning using manual brushing or hand washing with neutral soap, as well as chemical
cleaning with nontoxic disinfectants [14].Furthermore, when selecting a disinfectant, consideration should be given to its
antimicrobial properties, compatibility, and inertness, in order to minimize any adverse
impact on the physical properties of the material's surface and preserve them to the greatest
extent possible.Moreover, mechanical cleaning methods may contribute to the
deterioration of the silicone material and may not effectively eliminate all accumulated bacterial colonies [1,13,15].Differences
observed in studies investigating the color and mechanical properties of maxillofacial
silicones after disinfection can be attributed to variations in study design and the materials
used.It was reported that the use of a reflection spectrophotometer as a
method has been widely utilized for assessing the color stability of maxillofacial elastomers.On the other hand, colorimeters also provide color measurements in the CIE L*a*b* format,
which allows for mathematical analysis and facilitates the comparison of color parameters
between different objects [11].This investigation helped to establish the efficacy of these treatments in
providing antimicrobial protection to silicone, which is crucial for its clinical application in
maxillofacial prosthetics.The second part focused on examining how the incorporation
Materials 2023, 16, 5580 3 of 10
of these disinfectants and nano-oxides influenced the color stability of different types of
maxillofacial silicone.Studies have reported the colonization of complex microbial biofilms in maxillofacial
prostheses.