Effects of cleaning agents and

Objective: The effects of Materials: A total of 240 PMMA (Travelon™) and nano-filled composite (Filtek™ Z350XT) specimens were fabricated. Baseline surface hardness VHN, arithmetic mean surface roughness (Sa, in nm), and flexural strength (ISO 20795-1) were measured. The specimens underwent a Results: In comparison to PMMA (98.60 ± 0.55 VHN; p < 0.001, η² = 0.92), the nano-filled composite showed significantly greater baseline hardness (156.67 ± 0.58 VHN) and surface smoothness (Sa = 75.60 ± 5.20 nm vs. 256.30 ± 18.50 nm; p < 0.001, η² = 0.89). Greater PMMA surface roughness was associated with significantly higher biofilm accumulation and mechanical deterioration (14.14% flexural strength decrease; p < 0.001). Significant degradation occurred after exposure to NaOCl, and PMMA showed the greatest flexural strength loss (36.13%; p < 0.001). In contrast, no significant material degradation was observed with patchouli extract (p > 0.05). Both disinfectants demonstrated limited efficacy against mature biofilms, whereas NaOCl was highly effective against planktonic Conclusion: In comparison to PMMA, nano-filled composite had superior surface and mechanical properties associated with enhanced resistance to chemical and biofilm-related deterioration. However, the constraints of the mono-species model warrant potential clinical consideration. NaOCl demonstrated substantial antifungal activity but was associated with severe material degradation, whereas patchouli extract preserved material integrity but exhibited modest anti-biofilm efficacy. Therefore, material-specific cleaning protocols might be warranted. Further investigation of complex models is necessary to balance antimicrobial effectiveness against long-term prosthetic durability.