Life cycle assessment of the complete denture fabrication process using traditional impressions versus intra-oral...

Aims Climate change and sustainability have become increasingly important in healthcare, including dentistry, which contributes notably to carbon emissions. This study evaluates the environmental impact of removable partial denture (RPD) fabrication using traditional alginate impressions versus digital intra-oral scanning, each paired with local and global laboratory workflows.Materials and methods A comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to evaluate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with four different fabrication scenarios for RPDs: 1) traditional alginate impressions with a local laboratory; 2) traditional alginate impressions with a global laboratory; 3) intra-oral digital scanning with a local laboratory; and 4) intra-oral digital scanning with a global laboratory.Results The analysis showed clear differences in carbon emissions among the workflows. Digital workflows produced lower emissions (S3 = 65.22 kgCO₂, S4 = 78.63 kgCO₂) compared to traditional ones (S1 = 77.29 kgCO₂, S2 = 94.67 kgCO₂). The digital process led to a nearly 20% reduction in emissions for global and over 15% for local workflows. Patient travel emissions were reduced by 20% in digital workflows with fewer required appointments. Additionally, using local laboratories reduced the carbon footprint by approximately 18% across both workflow types.Discussion and conclusions Digital dentistry offers substantial environmental benefits by decreasing the number of appointments, reducing material waste, and minimising transportation-related emissions. Incorporating digital scanning and using local laboratories can significantly lower the carbon footprint of denture production without compromising quality of care. These findings support the adoption of sustainable practices in dental care, encouraging professionals to embrace environmentally responsible technologies and workflows, while supporting local laboratory usage.