Comparative assessment of conventional vs. CAD/CAM complete denture fabrication techniques on patient satisfaction, quality of life and prosthesis biofilm

The absence of natural teeth affects people’s lives in both a physical and psychosocial way. As a result, they may avoid socializing with others. In contrast, complete dentures can improve appearance, speech and function, resulting in more self-esteem and participation in social activities.

Complete dentures have been the main treatment for edentulous people for decades. However, the process of making conventional complete dentures can sometimes be complicated and requires multiple steps. Furthermore, fit may be compromised because of dimensional change in the polymers during denture processing. Recently, digital dentures have become more well-known and accepted in dentistry. The limited available literature claims that digital dentures can reduce number of appointments and can simplify the fabrication procedure. However, there is still a lack of evidence to support this new technology.

This study aimed to assess the impact of two denture fabrication techniques; conventional and digital, on quality of life and patient satisfaction of denture wearers. This study also tried to compare the level of microorganisms present on a denture’s surface between the two fabrication techniques.

Our results revealed that there was an increased in quality of life for both treatment groups at the 1 month follow-up but no different between treatment groups. Females reported poorer quality of life than males. There was no significant difference in patient satisfaction between treatment groups except the subjects that received conventional treatment reported more satisfaction with the appearance of maxillary denture. The comparisons of microbial counts showed no significant difference between treatment groups.