Knoop microhardness of conventional and microwaved denture base acrylic resins.

Background: Microwave polymerization reduces the time of acrylic resin processing, but it is important to select a proper cycle to avoid overheating, porosity, and impairment to the materials' properties.

Aims: To evaluate the microhardness of conventional (Vipi Cril-VC) and microwaved (Vipi Wave-VW) acrylic resins after microwave polymerization cycles and the cycles recommended by the manufacturer. It was also evaluated the effect of thermocycling on the microhardness of these materials.