Dental Technicians' Perception of the Quality of Dentists' Communication on the Fabrication of Removable Partial Dentures: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia.

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.

The prosthetic rehabilitation of a patient with a lateral postsurgical defect using a 2-piece magnet-retained facial prosthesis: A clinical report.

Nonsurgical prosthetic interventions are often proposed after repeated grafts have failed to restore irradiated facial defects. This report describes a facial prosthetic reconstruction following ablative surgery for a sizable facial tumor by using a novel custom-made magnet-bearing substructure, which connected with an exposed part of the mandibular reconstruction plate. The defect involved the entire left lower part of the face and angle of the mentum. This reconstructive technique, together with an added surface texture with hair-like silicone strands, effectively addressed the cosmetic needs of the patient. Magnetic anchorage to an exposed reconstruction plate could be considered an option for retaining facial prostheses. The biomechanical aspects of loading and retention should be addressed before considering this prosthetic option.