Comparison of denture base adaptation between additive and conventional fabrication techniques

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dental Technology
• Prosthodontics

Background:

• Accurate denture base adaptation is crucial for patient comfort and prosthesis stability.
• Evaluating novel fabrication techniques is essential for improving denture manufacturing processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the in vitro tissue surface adaptation of denture bases fabricated using four distinct techniques: injection molding (IM), compression molding (CM), liquid crystal display (LCD), and digital light processing (DLP).

Main Methods:

• Forty maxillary denture bases were fabricated using IM, CM, LCD, and DLP techniques.
• Three-dimensional deviations were quantified by superimposing scanned denture bases onto reference casts using the best fit algorithm.
• Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test.

Main Results:

• Injection molding (IM) exhibited the lowest deviation for the total intaglio surface and crest of the ridge.
• Digital Light Processing (DLP) showed the lowest deviation for the palatal vault and denture border apex.
• Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) consistently showed the highest deviation across most parameters evaluated.

Conclusions:

• Denture bases fabricated with DLP and IM techniques demonstrated significantly better surface adaptation compared to LCD and CM.
• IM is recommended for conventional fabrication, while DLP is suggested for additive manufacturing of highly compatible dentures.