Effect of digital complete dentures manufactured using the custom disk method on masticatory function.

Statement of problem: The effect of using the custom disk method (CDM) for fabricating digital dentures on patients' masticatory function should be studied to support its use in clinical practice. Purpose: To investigate the effect of digital dentures fabricated using CDM on patients' masticatory function. Material and methods: This single-center prospective clinical study included 20 patients with edentulous maxillary and mandibular arches who used a complete denture. The digital impression and complete denture manufacturing procedures using CDM have already been reported by Kanazawa et al. (2018) [32] and Soeda et al. (2022) [18] Thedigital dentures fabricated with CDM were delivered to the participants, and periodic adjustments were made until the patient could use the denture without pain. A color-changeable chewing gum, two types of gummy jellies that can evaluate the masticatory function, and pressure-sensitive sheets were used to evaluate the participants' masticatory function at baseline, 1 month, and 6 months following adjustment of the new digital complete dentures fabricated with CDM. These masticatory function values had already been measured in the previous conventional dentures and were recorded as baseline values. Results: The study participants included 8 women and 12 men (mean age, 77.6 years). The color-changeable chewing gum analysis indicated that there was no significant improvement of masticatory function from baseline to 1 M (P = .083) and 6 M (P = .157).The gummy jelly analysis indicated no significant differences between the masticatory function baseline and 1 month (P = .387); however, a significant improvement was observed from baseline to 6 months (P = .020). Tests with Glucolum indicated a significant improvement from baseline to 1 month (P = .012) and 6 months (P = .003). The maximum bite force and occlusal contact area showed no significant difference at any time point. Conclusions: Significant improvement in masticatory function was observed upon evaluation with gummy jelly and Glucolum 6 months after delivering the new digital complete dentures. Under limited conditions, the digital denture fabricated using CDM resulted in good recovery of the masticatory function in elderly edentulous patients. The present results combined with the cost-effectiveness and patient satisfaction associated with CDM indicate its clinical utility.

Fabrication of milled removable partial dentures using a custom plate with prefabricated artificial teeth.

PURPOSE: Although digital removable partial dentures have been previously described, there have been no reports on how to fabricate them in one piece. This study proposes a new method for fabricating patient-specific digital removable partial dentures using a custom plate. METHODS: First, a gypsum model was scanned using a laboratory scanner and a removable partial denture was designed using computer-aided design (CAD) software based on standard tessellation language data. The metal clasp was fabricated from Ti-6Al-4V using a 3D printer. For custom plate fabrication, a resin plate frame was designed using computer-aided design (CAD) software and fabricated using a 3D printer. An artificial tooth and metal clasp were fixed on the base surface of the frame, an auto-polymerizing resin was poured into the frame for the denture base, and the artificial tooth and metal clasp were packed to form a custom plate. The plate was cut using a milling machine. Subsequently, the support attached to the denture was removed and polished for complete fabrication of the denture. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel removable partial denture fabrication method is more efficient than the conventional method. The obtained removable partial dentures demonstrated satisfactory accuracy.

Trueness and precision of artificial teeth in CAD-CAM milled complete dentures from custom disks with a milled recess.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Studies on the movement of artificial teeth during the manufacturing of computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) complete dentures using the custom disk method with milled recesses and on whether the movement is within a clinically acceptable range are lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to assess the trueness and precision of the artificial teeth on custom disks the recesses of which were manufactured using a milling machine and to compare the results with the recesses manufactured using a 3-dimensional (3D) printer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four types of artificial teeth (maxillary left central incisors [Max-L1], mandibular left central incisors [Man-L1], maxillary left first premolars [Max-L4], and maxillary left first molars [Max-L6]) were prepared. Milling data were created, and 3 of each type of tooth were attached to each disk made up of 3 concentric circles (large, medium, and small). Five each of the 3D-printed custom disks and custom disks with milled recesses were milled based on the milling data. Standard tessellation language data were obtained through cone beam computed tomography and superimposed by using a CAD software program. Mean absolute error (MAE) values were calculated to assess trueness and precision; MAE values of artificial teeth in custom disks with milled recesses and 3D-printed custom disks were statistically compared by using the 2-way analysis of variance test with 2 factors, 2 types of custom disks and 4 types of artificial teeth, and the Tukey post hoc comparison (α=.05). RESULTS: Regarding position trueness, the MAE value of Man-L1 on the milling custom disk was significantly lower than that of the 3D-printed custom disk (P<.001), whereas the MAE values of Max-L4 and Max-L6 on the milling custom disk were significantly higher than those on the 3D-printed custom disk (P<.001). No significant difference was found in the MAE value of the position trueness of Max-L1 between the milling and 3D-printed custom disks. Regarding position precision, the MAE values of Max-L1, Man-L1, and Max-L4 on the milling custom disk were significantly lower than those on the 3D-printed custom disks (P=.002, P<.001, P=.025, respectively). However, no significant difference was seen in the MAE value of position precision of Max-L6 between the milling and 3D-printed custom disks (P=.180) CONCLUSIONS: Movement of artificial teeth during the manufacture of dentures using the custom disk method and custom disks with milled recesses was within a clinically acceptable range.

Fully Digital Workflow for the Fabrication of Three-Dimensionally Printed Surgical Splints for Preventing Postoperative Bleeding: A Case Report.

The management of postoperative bleeding is mandatory in patients receiving anticoagulants. In this case report, we introduce a fully digital workflow for surgical splint fabrication to prevent postoperative bleeding in patients receiving anticoagulants and/or at risk of inadvertent extraction of a mobile tooth during impression making. An 87-year-old woman using apixaban had a left mandibular canine that required extraction due to chronic apical periodontitis. A digital impression was obtained using an intraoral scanner. First, the tooth to be extracted was deleted using three-dimensional (3D) computer-aided design (CAD) software (Geomagic Freeform, 3D Systems) and a stereolithography (STL) file was exported. This modified STL file was imported into another CAD software (3Shape Dental System, 3Shape) and a surgical splint was designed. The splint was fabricated using a 3D printer (Form 3; Formlabs) and light-curable resin (Dental LT Clear, Formlabs) and was delivered after the tooth extraction. The patient was followed-up 2 days after the extraction; no postoperative bleeding was detected and the surgical splint was removed. The additively manufactured surgical splint fabricated using a fully digital workflow was efficacious for managing postoperative bleeding after a dental extraction.

Patient-reported outcome and cost-effectiveness analysis of milled and conventionally fabricated complete dentures in a university clinic: A retrospective study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The custom disk is a novel method of complete denture fabrication; however, patient-reported outcomes and fabrication costs are unknown. PURPOSE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate general patient satisfaction with complete dentures fabricated through the custom disk method. In addition, a comparative cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted for the custom disk method and conventional removable complete dentures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Complete dentures were fabricated for 44 edentulous participants by using the custom disk method (n=20) or the conventional removable complete denture (n=24). General patient satisfaction was measured by using visual analog scales before and after denture fabrication and compared by using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (α=.05); the fabrication cost for each method was investigated and compared by using the Mann-Whitney U test (α=.05). Cost-effectiveness was analyzed with the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio as incremental cost per change in general patient satisfaction for the custom disk method with respect to the conventional removable complete denture. RESULTS: The median general patient satisfaction with the custom disk method and conventional removable complete denture after the intervention was 84.0 mm and 91.0 mm, respectively. General patient satisfaction with the custom disk method was significantly higher after the intervention (P=.002). The median labor costs for the custom disk method and conventional removable complete denture were 24 516 and 36 583 Japanese yen, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<.001). The median of the total cost of the custom disk method and the conventional removable complete denture was 41 104 and 45 276 Japanese yen, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P=.004). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was -251.4. CONCLUSIONS: The custom disk method improved general patient satisfaction. The labor and total costs of the custom disk method were significantly lower than those of the conventional removable complete denture. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio demonstrated that the custom disk method was more cost-effective than the conventional removable complete denture.

CAD-CAM milled complete dentures with custom disks and prefabricated artificial teeth: A dental technique.

A digital complete denture was manufactured from a disk customized for each patient. The custom disk was made of resin and contained prefabricated artificial teeth. Both the denture base and the artificial teeth in the custom disk were milled in this technique, resulting in dentures with a high bond strength between the artificial teeth and denture base, excellent esthetics because of the prefabricated artificial teeth, and accurate occlusion because of the custom occlusal surface.

Trueness and precision of artificial teeth in CAD-CAM milled complete dentures with custom disks.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Insufficient information is available regarding the trueness and precision of artificial teeth in computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) milled complete dentures fabricated from custom disks, including prefabricated teeth. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine the trueness and precision of the position of the artificial teeth arranged in CAD-CAM milled complete dentures manufactured by using a custom disk method and to compare the trueness and precision of different tooth types and the occlusal surface and entire surface of the teeth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The milling data were designed by using a CAD software program. Four types of artificial teeth (maxillary-left central incisor, mandibular-left central incisor, maxillary-left first premolar, and maxillary-left first molar) were arranged concentrically in the disk with 3 corresponding teeth per disk. Five custom disks were milled based on the milling data. The sample size for maxillary-left central incisor, mandibular-left central incisor, maxillary-left first premolar, and maxillary-left first molar was 15. The standard tessellation language data were obtained by scanning the milled disks with cone beam computed tomography. The obtained data were superimposed by using a CAD software program to assess the trueness and precision of the tooth positions. For the occlusal surface, the data were superimposed after trimming to assess the trueness and precision of the tooth position with respect to the entire tooth surface. After data superimposition, the deviation was analyzed by using a 3-dimensional analysis software program to obtain the mean absolute error values and color maps. The data were analyzed by using 2-way ANOVA and the Games-Howell post hoc test (α=.05). RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the mean absolute error values of the position trueness of the entire surface between the different teeth, except for maxillary-left first premolar and maxillary-left first molar (P<.05). Moreover, significant differences in the mean absolute error values of the precision for the entire surface were observed between mandibular-left central incisor and maxillary-left first premolar, as well as between mandibular-left central incisor and maxillary-left first molar (P<.05). The mean absolute error values of the position trueness of the occlusal surface were significantly smaller than those for the entire tooth surface for mandibular-left central incisor, maxillary-left first premolar, and maxillary-left first molar (P<.05). Finally, the mean absolute error values of the position precision of the occlusal surface were significantly smaller than those for the entire tooth surface for mandibular-left central incisor and maxillary-left first premolar (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: The trueness and precision of the posterior teeth were higher than that of anterior teeth. The trueness of the movement of the artificial teeth during the manufacturing of dentures by using the custom disk method was found to be within a clinically acceptable range.

Effect of Printing Direction on the Accuracy of 3D-Printed Dentures Using Stereolithography Technology.

This study evaluated the effects of the differences in the printing directions of stereolithography (SLA) three-dimensional (3D)-printed dentures on accuracy (trueness and precision). The maxillary denture was designed using computer-aided design (CAD) software with an STL file (master data) as the output. Three different printing directions (0°, 45°, and 90°) were used. Photopolymer resin was 3D-printed (n = 6/group). After scanning all dentures, the scanning data were saved/output as STL files (experimental data). For trueness, the experimental data were superimposed on the master data sets. For precision, the experimental data were selected from six dentures with three different printing directions and superimposed. The root mean square error (RMSE) and color map data were obtained using a deviation analysis. The averages of the RMSE values of trueness and precision at 0°, 45°, and 90° were statistically compared. The RMSE of trueness and precision were lowest at 45°, followed by 90°; the highest occurred at 0°. The RMSE of trueness and precision were significantly different among all printing directions (p < 0.05). The highest trueness and precision and the most favorable surface adaptation occurred when the printing direction was 45°; therefore, this may be the most effective direction for manufacturing SLA 3D-printed dentures.