Radiation attenuation properties of removable partial dentures (RPD)

The use of removable partial dentures (RPD) has increased as the need for fixed and removable partial dentures for tooth treatments grows. Yet, there exist few investigations that address the question of whether these partial fixed and removable prostheses are suitable for radiation exposure. This study investigates alpha, proton, and gamma attenuation properties of the denture structures by running WinXCOM and Matlab simulations in the energy range from 0.01 MeV to 20 MeV. The investigation aims to compare the quality and applicability of the denture structures in radiation shielding. Deriving the mass attenuation coefficients (mu/rho) from WinXCOM, Effective Atomic Numbers (Z(eff)), Half-Value Layer (HVL), Tenth Value Layer (TVL) and Mean Free Path (MFP) are computed. Additionally, Exposure Buildup Factors (EBF) at 0.015-15 MeV up to 15 MFP are also computed by utilizing the G-P fitting approach. The finding shows that N2 possesses the best attenuation and the best proton, alpha, and gamma radiation shielding performance.