Patient-centered outcomes of indirect CAD-CAM removable partial denture frameworks: A 2-year follow-up study

This study aimed to assess patient-centered outcomes of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and cobalt chromium (CoCr) removable partial denture (RPD) frameworks, as well as to present detailed technical steps of digital designing and indirect production of metal and PEEK RPD frameworks.

This randomized, controlled, parallel-group clinical trial included 30 patients. The enrolled patients were partially edentulous with mandibular Kennedy Class I. They were randomly assigned to receive an indirect computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) PEEK RPD as the interventional group, or an indirect CAD-CAM metallic (CoCr) RPD as the control group. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and patient satisfaction were evaluated by the Oral Health Impact Profile questionnaire (OHIP-14) and patient satisfaction with the Lower Removable Denture Questionnaire (SLRD-Q), respectively. They were assessed at RPD insertion as a baseline (T0), 1 month (T1), 3 months (T2), 1 year (T3), and 2 years (T4) after insertion. Mann-Whitney and Friedman's tests were used for statistical analysis (p-value = 0.05).

All patients completed the follow-up period. No significant difference was found at all follow-up periods between both RPDs regarding both OHRQoL and patient satisfaction.

Within the limitations of this short-term study, it can be concluded that indirect CAD-CAM PEEK and metallic RPDs are acceptable treatment options for Kennedy Class I edentulous mandibles, from the patient's perspective. Both RPDs improved OHRQoL to a degree that surpasses the minimally clinically important difference (MCID) after 2 years. Patient satisfaction improved as well.