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BACKGROUND: Effective and clear communication between the dentist and dental technician plays a vital role in rendering quality prostheses for patients. When fabricating a removable dental prosthesis, it is uncertain if the information received by the dental laboratory technician is clear and sufficient. This investigation aimed to assess dental technicians' perceptions of the quality of dentists' communication on the fabrication of removable partial dentures (RPDs) in Saudi Arabia. METHODOLOGY: After obtaining the institutional review board (IRB) approval from Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a cross-sectional survey on a convenient sample of 115 dental technicians registered with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties was conducted in January 2022. The voluntary participation of 94 technicians fabricating RPDs was included. A 19-item online questionnaire was developed, including quality of written instruction, selection of impression trays, and impression materials for RPD fabrication, shared through Google Docs. Descriptive statistics were tabulated, and responses were displayed as a percentage of the total. RESULTS: Of the 94 study subjects, 35% had less than five years of experience, 44% stated that they routinely receive work authorizations with clear instructions, 13% always used digital technology to fabricate prostheses, and 58% reported difficulty with communicated work authorization by dentists having less than five years of experience. Thirty-three respondents (35.1%) reported that 75% or more of the fabricated partial dentures were cast framework partials. Thirty-three respondents (35.1%) indicated that the master casts received for partial framework construction were usually accurate. Tooth alterations, however, were reported as usually adequate by only 28 respondents (29.8%). For creating the artificial gingiva portion of cast partials, 56 respondents (59.6%) preferred heat-cured acrylic resin. Furthermore, 40 respondents (42.6%) said that 75% or more of the requested partials were entirely made out of acrylic resin. Regarding case design discussions, 26 respondents (27.7%) always engaged with dentists, while 39 (41.5%) did so occasionally. CONCLUSION: The obtained assessments pointed to the fact that dental technicians expressed a perception of inadequacy regarding the work authorizations provided by dentists for the fabrication of RPDs, where they seemingly felt that the instructions conveyed by the dentists were not sufficiently comprehensive or clear.
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Background A dental prosthesis called a removable partial denture (RPD) is used to fill the gaps left by one or more lost teeth. It serves as an option to fixed bridges and restorations supported by implants. This research was on a simple and effective method of investing RPD wax pattern and an in vitro investigation into the creation of a cutting-edge RPD technique. Methodology The method outlines the straightforward steps for waxing an RPD and validating the precision of the cast framework. The use of a laminated paper ring rather than a metallic one for investing the wax patterns is the main distinction between the novel method and the traditional ringless technique. Results A total of 30 samples were considered for investigation, with 15 in the traditional and 15 in the experimental group. The innovative wax pattern investment method exhibited a higher mean geometric orientation (9.23 ± 0.42) compared to traditional investment casting (8.90 ± 0.37 mm). Conversely, the dimensional accuracy mean was lower for the innovative wax pattern investment method (0.28 ± 0.03 mm) compared to traditional investment casting (0.31 ± 0.05 mm). The p-value was less than 0.001 for both parameters, signifying that the differences between the means of the two methods were statistically significant. The statistical power (1-ß) was the probability of rejecting the null hypothesis when it was false. The statistical power was 0.999 for both geometric orientation and dimensional accuracy, indicating that the study had a very high power to detect differences between the two methods. Conclusions This innovative method does away with the requirement for a commercially available plastic ring, reduces the price and time needed for RPD manufacturing, and offers decent marginal accuracy. However, it has some restrictions, such as the challenge of cutting and preparing the paper ring after investing, which could lower the finished product's quality.
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Background Maintaining one's sense of self requires having healthy teeth. A person's physical well-being is greatly impacted by their dental health. They are intimately related, and the socioeconomic situation of the individual largely determines how teeth are maintained. As a result, tooth loss causes injury to the stomatognathic system as well as the masticatory function. Morale is negatively impacted by psychological discomfort as well as the reduction in general quality of life brought on by tooth loss. Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the awareness of patients about various dental prosthetic rehabilitative procedures in Saudi Arabia, their preference(s) regarding the choice of treatment, and the motivating factors that drive them to avail of dental prosthetic rehabilitative treatment. Methods After randomly selecting 600 individuals for the purpose of our investigation, a nine-variable questionnaire was framed by investigators to record the responses of those who consented to participate in our study. Results Only 68.3% of the respondents were found to be aware of the several prosthodontic replacement choices. As mentioned by the majority of the respondents, the cost element was the biggest drawback for replacement. The benefits of choosing fixed partial dentures (FPD) or dental implants were judged to be aesthetics (41.1%) and the feel of one's own teeth (40.1%). Conclusion Only 68.3% of respondents reported knowing about the several prosthodontic replacement choices. The cost aspect was cited by 348 respondents as the biggest drawback to replacement. The perceived benefits of choosing FPD or dental implants were deemed to be aesthetics (41.1%) and the feel of one's own teeth (40.1%). We believe that patients' health and quality of life can be improved by raising awareness about and changing patients' attitudes toward the most cutting-edge treatment options that are readily available. This can be done by educating people about the drawbacks of delaying the replacement of missing teeth and other treatment options.
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In this systematic review, we compare the quality and accuracy of computer-aided design (CAD)/computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) techniques currently employed in dentistry with those of traditional materials. Published literature on the study topic was searched in the online MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Cochrane library databases and the database of Indian Council of Medical Research. For this systematic review, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework was applied for the assessment of studies fit for investigation. Of the total 103 papers searched, 54 underwent in-depth evaluation. Using criteria for what to include and what to leave out, we chose research that was relevant to our review and narrowed it down to 14 papers that met the review's guidelines. According to our findings and the analysis of the chosen articles, the prospects and current advances of CAD/CAM technology are fascinating and are revolutionizing the field of dentistry. Even though researchers are excited, it is important to make sure that different materials have been tested and looked at well enough before making firm claims and choices to replace materials that have been made in the past. Based on previous research, it has been determined that the CAD/CAM methodology used in the dental field is the most popular method at the moment since it is quick, simple, and efficient. Since there are different kinds of CAD/CAM systems, it is very important to choose the right one and come up with a good plan for treating a patient.