Fabrication of 3D Printed Complete Denture Using Existing Denture: Case Report

Abstract

Aging population that loses all their teeth affects their speech, chewing, and swallowing, which changes their daily lives. Therefore, wearing quality dentures is significantly related to their quality of life regarding oral health. Thailand has an increasing proportion of the aging population; complete dentures are included in all benefit packages. Therefore, Thai dentists have the opportunity to find older people who need new complete dentures and may have a higher average age as well. Traditional complete denture fabrication in older people is challenging for dentists because they usually have health problems that limit their physical ability and cooperation. Making new complete dentures from a patient's existing dentures reproduces the shape and contour of old dentures that they are familiar with and maintains their neuromuscular control. Thus, it improves patients' adaptability regarding the function of new dentures. In addition, the traditional technique involves many steps and requires 5 - 6 visits for treatment. Using CAD/CAM technology to make complete dentures can reduce working time and errors in clinics and laboratories and have good accuracy and physical properties. This case report presents a method for fabricating new complete dentures from existing dentures using the CAD/CAM system and smile design program in patients whose existing dentures have lost their retention and esthetics. This method reduces the steps and number of visits to the dentist to only 2 times. It also produces dentures that are similar in appearance to existing ones, are aesthetically pleasing to the patient's needs, and still have the same quality and functionality as making complete dentures with the traditional method.