IADR Abstract Archives
Digital versus Conventional Complete Dentures: Clinical and Economical Outcomes
Objectives: This study aimed to compare the treatment time, overall costs, and post-delivery adjustments of digital versus conventional removable complete dentures (CDs).
Methods: Ethical approval was granted. Records of 32 patients (n=32; female=16, male=16; age range: 35-85 years)from a university dental school who received either digital (n=16) or conventional (n=16) CDs in both jaws were evaluated retrospectively. Each group comprised of nine otherwise healthy patients and seven patients after treatment for head-and-neck cancer. The digital dentures were fabricated using either the AvaDent (n=11) or Ivoclar Digital (n=5) systems. The total treatment period was measured between three different time points (T0: preliminary alginate impression; T1: denture delivery; T2: last post-delivery adjustment). Dental fees and laboratory costs as well as number and type of post-delivery adjustments were noted. Wilcoxon’s rank-sum tests were used for statistical analysis (α=0.05).
Results: There was no difference regarding the treatment time between digitally and conventionally fabricated CDs (Table 1), but the number of visits for CD fabrication was significantly lower for digital CD fabrication (digital: 3.0±0.00, conventional 4.0±2.50, p=0.0306). Regarding post-delivery adjustments, there was no significant difference in the number of sore spot removals, relinings or repairs during the median total treatment time (70.0±44.0 days, Table 2). Laboratory costs of digital dentures were significantly lower compared to conventional dentures (p<0.0001), but dental fees were similar between groups (p=0.5962), resulting in a reduction in the overall total costs for the digital CDs (p=0.0108).
Conclusions: Complementing other reports in the literature, this retrospective case-control study including patients with head-and-neck cancer demonstrated that digital CDs are similar to conventional CDs regarding treatment duration, follow-ups visits, adjustments or maintenance requirements. Digital CDs seem to be beneficial when compared to conventional CDs with regard to reducing the number of clinical appointments and overall costs.
Methods: Ethical approval was granted. Records of 32 patients (n=32; female=16, male=16; age range: 35-85 years)from a university dental school who received either digital (n=16) or conventional (n=16) CDs in both jaws were evaluated retrospectively. Each group comprised of nine otherwise healthy patients and seven patients after treatment for head-and-neck cancer. The digital dentures were fabricated using either the AvaDent (n=11) or Ivoclar Digital (n=5) systems. The total treatment period was measured between three different time points (T0: preliminary alginate impression; T1: denture delivery; T2: last post-delivery adjustment). Dental fees and laboratory costs as well as number and type of post-delivery adjustments were noted. Wilcoxon’s rank-sum tests were used for statistical analysis (α=0.05).
Results: There was no difference regarding the treatment time between digitally and conventionally fabricated CDs (Table 1), but the number of visits for CD fabrication was significantly lower for digital CD fabrication (digital: 3.0±0.00, conventional 4.0±2.50, p=0.0306). Regarding post-delivery adjustments, there was no significant difference in the number of sore spot removals, relinings or repairs during the median total treatment time (70.0±44.0 days, Table 2). Laboratory costs of digital dentures were significantly lower compared to conventional dentures (p<0.0001), but dental fees were similar between groups (p=0.5962), resulting in a reduction in the overall total costs for the digital CDs (p=0.0108).
Conclusions: Complementing other reports in the literature, this retrospective case-control study including patients with head-and-neck cancer demonstrated that digital CDs are similar to conventional CDs regarding treatment duration, follow-ups visits, adjustments or maintenance requirements. Digital CDs seem to be beneficial when compared to conventional CDs with regard to reducing the number of clinical appointments and overall costs.