Patient preference between visible light-cured and heat-cured acrylic splints

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Prosthodontics
• Biomaterials

Background:

• Dental splints are crucial for various treatments, including occlusal rehabilitation and TMJ disorders.
• Material selection impacts patient comfort and splint longevity.
• Heat-cured acrylic and visible light-cured materials are common choices for dental splint fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare patient subjective preferences between heat-cured acrylic (Splint Resin Polymer) and visible light-cured dental splint materials.
• To evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each material from the patient's perspective.
• To inform clinical decisions regarding dental splint material selection based on patient-reported outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A randomized crossover study design was employed with 10 patients requiring dental splints.
• A comprehensive questionnaire assessed patient-reported outcomes including comfort, fit, taste, hygiene, and esthetics.
• Patients used splints made from both materials for three-week periods, with randomized assignment of the initial material.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference was found in overall patient preference between heat-cured acrylic and visible light-cured splint materials using the MacNemar's Chi-square test.
• Individual questionnaire items, such as comfort, fit, and hygiene, did not reveal a consistent preference for either material.
• Patient-reported outcomes were comparable across both tested dental splint materials.

Conclusions:

• Both heat-cured acrylic and visible light-cured materials provide similar levels of patient satisfaction for dental splints.
• Clinicians can select either material with confidence, as patient subjective preferences do not significantly differ.
• Further research could explore objective measures or long-term outcomes to complement subjective patient feedback.