Customized three dimensionally printed palatal stents: A randomized controlled clinical trial

Area of Science:

• Periodontal surgery
• Biomaterials engineering
• Patient-reported outcomes

Background:

• Soft tissue grafts are vital in periodontal surgery around teeth and implants.
• Donor-site pain is a significant concern, yet understudied from a patient perspective.
• Autogenous gingival grafting, while effective, can cause considerable patient discomfort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To minimize donor-site pain during autologous gingival grafting using a novel 3D-printed stent.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of 3D-printed stents through patient-reported outcomes.
• To compare the patient experience with 3D-printed stents versus conventional stents.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 32 patients requiring autogenous gingival grafts.
• Patients were allocated to either a control group (Omnivac stent) or a test group (3D-printed stent).
• Patient-reported outcomes were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire at multiple postoperative time points.

Main Results:

• The 3D-printed stent group reported significantly lower VAS scores for pain.
• OHIP-14 scores were significantly lower in the 3D-printed stent group across all assessment times.
• Significant reductions in discomfort related to pronunciation, taste, mastication, and daily activities were observed with 3D-printed stents.

Conclusions:

• 3D-printed stents effectively reduce donor-site discomfort and improve oral function after autologous soft tissue grafting.
• While not directly reducing postoperative pain, 3D-printed stents alleviate discomfort during essential oral functions.
• Customized 3D-printed palatal stents enhance postoperative quality of life by improving patient comfort and function.