Digital Denture Workflow

The reviewed studies included definitive complete dentures, denture bases, trial dentures, and digital images. Twenty-one studies used milling and 17 used 3D printing for denture fabrication.

Digital denture studies used border-moulded impressions, facebow records, gothic arch tracing, and trial dentures. A border-moulded impression is preferred for retention, and a trial denture is recommended to optimise the definitive denture.

Up to 37.5% of participants reported loss of retention and up to 31.3% required a denture remake. These outcomes occurred despite the shorter clinical time reported for digital workflows.

Patient satisfaction and oral health-related quality of life were similar between conventional, milled, and 3D-printed complete dentures. The maximum occlusal force was also similar across fabrication procedures.

The workflow may shorten clinical time, but it does not remove the need for adjustments. Retention and comfort can still lead to extra visits or an unplanned follow-up.

The evidence on digital complete denture complications is still developing. In laboratory evidence, milled digital denture bases showed higher flexural strength than 3D-printed bases after lower-quality studies were excluded.