What are digital dentures?
Dentures offer a flexible solution for edentulous people as the appliance can restore the facial appearance, rendering the ability to speak and so. Apart from the different types of traditional dentures, dentists and prosthodontists nowadays recommend digital dentures.
Various technological advancements have digitalized the fabrication of denture teeth that are a better fit than traditional dentures. Similarly, computed-aided design and modern engineering tools utilized in denture preparation ensure that you get high-precise fake teeth set in just a couple of dental visits.
How are digital dentures made?
Digital denture fabrication involves advanced instrumentation like 3D Scanners, 3D printing equipment, electropolishing device, and other dentist-convenient materials along with denture design software.
The steps involved in making a removable denture have changed after digitization as follows:
- In the first appointment, the dentists take the impression of the patient’s bite and mouth using thermoplastic impression materials.
- The impression is then digitally scanned with a 3D scanner. This helps in identifying the mouth shape that facilitates the denture preparation. The data obtained from the scan are transferred to the design software to create a digital try-on model.
- These digital try-in dentures are created in a printed model whereas they ensure the prosthetic appliance will fit your mouth. If your dentist identifies any differences in the model and impression taken, then the clinician will modify the occlusion, adjust flanges and make the necessary tooth positional changes.
- The alterations are scanned and collaborated with the original scan. Now the dentists test whether the modified 3D try-in model has an adequate alignment. If it fits well, the dentists start fabricating the final denture.
Advantages of digital dentures over traditional dentures
The digital denture teeth provide the wearers a multitude of benefits. Few of them are here:
- High durability – The digital dentures prepared with CAM/CAD technology use the best quality acrylic material processed under high temperatures and pressures. It forties the appliance to withstand extreme forces.
- Precise fit – The digital denture technique is well-known for better fitting than the traditional one. Hence the wearer does not scare that the appliance will fall out or cause damage to the mouth.
- Less denture-making time – Digital technologies have quickened the denture-making process. It is possible to get custom-made dentures within a few weeks whereas the traditional dentures mandate months for fabrication. This in turn, reduces the number of dental visits to get the fake teeth set.
- Recreation is also easy – If you lost or damage the dentures, you can get the new one in no time. As the scanned design has been stored in the software, recreating the new denture is quite easy and you can get the new one in 2 days.
- Cost-effective – In general, dentures need adjustments at regular intervals due to the jaw bone structure changes, normal shrinkage of the gums, etc. It makes the appliance loose and uncomfortable. In contrast, digital dentures do not require such frequent adjustments. It saves you a lot of money you invest in dentures.
Bottom line
The inclusion of the latest technologies has simplified the denture-making process and made getting the dentures easier and quickly. Likewise, the digital denture eliminates the pain and discomforts associated with traditional dentures to a certain extent.
In simply, these digital removable dentures provide the best restorative solutions whilst overcome the difficulties of traditional dentures.
