Resistencia a la tensión del dique de goma de varios espesores posterior a la esterilización

Abstract

Rubber dams play a crucial role in endodontics by isolating a tooth or group of teeth during dental procedures, effectively excluding moisture and oral contaminants during the endodontic treatment. This isolation creates a barrier and contributes to an aseptic field, thereby enhancing clinical outcomes and patient safety. Proper sterilization of rubber dams is essential to prevent cross-contamination and maintain material integrity, promoting a clean environment. The present study aimed to evaluate the tensile strength of rubber dams in two thicknesses following sterilization. A total of 60 perforated samples were divided into four groups of 15 units each. Two groups served as controls without autoclaving: Group 1 (0.13 mm) and Group 3 (0.20 mm). The remaining two groups underwent autoclaving: Group 2 (0.13 mm) and Group 4 (0.20 mm). The sterilization process involved a temperature of 121°C, a sterilization time of 20 minutes, a drying time of 20 minutes, and 2 atmospheres during a complete 40-minute cycle. A Shimadzu Latín América S.A model AGX-1kn Series Universal/Tensile Testing machine with Trapezium Lite software was employed to measure the tensile strength. The control groups (Groups 1 and 3) demonstrated superior tensile strength performance compared to the autoclaved groups (Groups 2 and 4). The autoclaved rubber dams exhibited a lower average tensile strength and less consistent results