Digital versus conventional complete dentures: A randomized, controlled, double-blinded crossover trial.

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Prosthodontics
• Digital Fabrication

Background:

• Conventional complete denture fabrication involves multiple visits and complex lab procedures.
• The Baltic Denture System offers a digital alternative, potentially reducing visits.
• Clinical outcomes comparing digital and conventional denture fabrication methods require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical outcomes of complete dentures fabricated using digital versus conventional methods.
• To evaluate the impact of fabrication technique on denture fit, esthetics, occlusion, retention, and phonetics.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, controlled, double-blinded crossover trial involving 16 participants.
• Participants received and wore both digitally and conventionally fabricated complete dentures for 3-month observation periods.
• Blinded examiners assessed primary outcomes including peripheral extension, frenula cutouts, esthetics, occlusion, retention, and phonetics.

Main Results:

• Digital dentures exhibited significantly more overextended borders upon insertion (P=.021), affecting retention, particularly in maxillary dentures (P=.016).
• Post-insertion adjustments allowed for correction of denture borders.
• After 2 weeks and 3 months, no statistically significant differences in clinical outcomes were observed between digital and conventional dentures.

Conclusions:

• Denture fabrication method significantly influences initial denture border dimensions.
• Overextended borders in digital dentures at insertion can impair retention, especially for maxillary prostheses.
• Correctable border discrepancies mean no significant clinical differences emerge between digital and conventional complete dentures over a 3-month period.