Review outlines best practices for digital dentures

Dental Tribune International

Fri. 8. August 2025

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XI’AN, China: Digital technologies are reshaping the management of edentulism by streamlining the restorative workflow for complete dentures. Compared with conventional methods, digital techniques offer greater precision, reduced treatment time and improved patient comfort. However, the absence of unified clinical standards has led to inconsistencies in case selection, workflows and treatment evaluation. In response, a national panel of prosthodontists and other clinicians in China has issued a consensus document aimed at guiding the effective and consistent use of digital technologies for complete dentures in clinical practice.

The review outlines the clinical advantages of digital dentures, particularly for patients who struggle with physical impressions, have high aesthetic expectations, require faster treatment or present with complex intra-oral conditions. The authors also highlight the benefits for patients in remote areas or with limited mobility, noting that digital clinical workflows enable remote data sharing and reduce the need for multiple clinic visits. Additionally, stored digital data allows for the quick reproduction of lost or damaged dentures, improving continuity of care and offering convenience.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of digital clinical workflows, covering the use of edentulous digital models, facial scanning, occlusal rims, personalised gothic arch tracers and jaw relation recording. It discusses both additive and subtractive manufacturing processes.

The article also offers guidance on managing various clinical scenarios, such as transitioning patients from removable partial dentures to complete dentures and refabricating existing dentures using digital techniques. Importantly, the document addresses the evaluation of digital restorations, offering clinicians insights into assessing the accuracy of digital impressions, denture fit and stability, patient satisfaction, and overall cost-effectiveness.

The authors propose a structured framework for clinical indications, procedural steps and quality control measures, aimed at optimising the clinical application of digital dentures. They note that ongoing advancements in CAD/CAM software, materials and intra-oral scanning technology will further improve outcomes and reduce adoption barriers for clinicians and patients alike. “The integration of artificial intelligence and augmented reality is also anticipated to revolutionise CAD/CAM workflows and enable individualised aesthetic customisation, further enhancing the clinical value of digital complete denture solutions,” the authors wrote.

The review, titled “Expert consensus on digital restoration of complete dentures”, was published online on 30 July 2025 in the International Journal of Oral Science.

Topics:

Prosthodontics

Tags:

CAD/CAM Complete dentures Dental guidelines Dental restorations Digital dental technologies Digital dentures Digital workflows

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