A survey on utilization and barriers of digital removable prostheses in the US dental education.

PURPOSE: Gaining knowledge on the extent of digital technology implementation in dental education and the barriers to it will help inform future directions to promote the use of such technology and will enhance dental education. This study aimed to investigate the utilization of digitally fabricated removable prostheses and the potential obstacles to implementing such technology in US dental schools. METHODS: A survey was developed and distributed to the restorative dentistry department chairs and postdoctoral prosthodontic program directors. The survey delivery protocol included follow-up emails 1 week, 3 weeks, and 4 weeks after the initial email. The collected data were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: The response rate was 85% and 45% for predoctoral and postdoctoral prosthodontic programs, respectively. The results showed that 88.06% of the predoctoral programs and 95.65% of the postdoctoral prosthodontic programs implement digital complete dentures in the curriculum; however, the digital removable partial dentures implementation rate was recorded at 70.77% in predoctoral programs and 61.9% in postdoctoral prosthodontic programs. CONCLUSIONS: Dental schools are challenged by cost, design software limitations, IT and laboratory support, and faculty training. Multifaceted support is instrumental in further implementing digital removable prosthodontics into dental education.

Evaluation of the accuracy of 2 digital intraoral scanners: A 3D analysis study.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Evidence for the accuracy of a recently introduced intraoral scanner is lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate and compare the trueness (validity) and precision (reliability) of 2 intraoral scanners by scanning a quadrant and a sextant. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A maxillary typodont with plastic teeth made from a shade A3 polymethyl methacrylate was scanned (n=10) with each intraoral scanner (Planmeca Emerald and 3Shape TRIOS 3) to obtain sextant and quadrant scans. Control scans were made with an industrial optical scanner. The scans were analyzed with a 3D reverse engineering software program and an independent samples t test and general linear model 2-way analysis of variance (α=.05). RESULTS: The 3Shape TRIOS 3 scanner showed no significant difference between the sextant and quadrant scans in trueness (P=.118) or in precision (P<.285). The Emerald scanner had statistically significant higher trueness for the sextant scan (P=.007). The 3Shape TRIOS 3 scanner had better performance in trueness and precision when compared with the Emerald scanner. CONCLUSIONS: The 3Shape TRIOS 3 scanner was found to be more accurate than the Emerald scanner in terms of trueness and precision, regardless of the scanning field. The Emerald scanner's trueness decreased as the scanning field increased from a sextant to a quadrant.

Using a Visible Light-Polymerized Resin to Fabricate an Interim Partial Removable Dental Prosthesis.

An interim partial removable dental prosthesis (RDP) is any dental prosthesis that replaces some teeth in a partially dentate arch designed to enhance esthetics, stabilization, and/or function for a limited period of time, after which it is to be replaced by a definitive dental prosthesis. This article describes a technique that uses a visible light-polymerized (VLP) resin as the base material for an interim partial RDP. This technique can be easily accomplished in a dental office or laboratory and results in a predictable dental prosthesis. This technique eliminates the need for laboratory processing.