Objective: The purpose of this review was to study the prevalence and incidence of edentulism and tooth loss in European countries.

ObjectiveThis study compared the clinical time spent and the costs incurred whilstconstructing complete dentures (CDs) using a two-visit digital-denture protocol (DDP) with the conventional complete denture protocol (CCDP), in a university setting.Methods Twelve undergraduate final-year dental students utilized both the DDP and the CCDP to construct two sets of CDs for patients requiring either an upper CD opposing a partial natural dentition restored using a partial removable prosthesis [Group#1: students: n = 6, upper CD: n = 12 (6-DDP +6-CCDP)] or both upper and lower CDs [Group#2: students: n = 6, upper and lower CDs: n = 24 (12-DDP + 12-CCDP)]. Overall time spent and costs (clinical, materials, and laboratory) were calculated. Cost minimization analyses was performed to compare the economic costs of the two protocols. Paired t-tests were applied for the statistical analyses (p < 0.05). Results CCDP required longer clinical time than DDP for both Group#1 (p = 0.0206) and Group#2 (p = 0.0020). The materials costs were higher for the DDP in both groups (Group#1 p < 0.0001; Group#2: p = 0.0002). The overall costs, were significantly higher for the CCDP than the DDP (Group#1: p = 0.0032;Group 2: p = 0.0080).ConclusionsIn a university setting student clinic in Geneva, Switzerland,construction of CDs utilizing a DDP is significantly less costly in terms of the chairside time and overall costs incurred when compared with the CCDP.

Initial attempts to fabricate complete dentures (CDs) with computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technology began in the 1990s 1-3 ; since then, there has been an evolution of the techniques and the associated technologies. 4-10 The infusion of CAD-CAM techniques into CD fabrication methods has led to the evolution of modified and easier clinical protocols, 11,12 the use of materials with improved properties, 13-18 better fit and retention of the CDs, 19-29 reduction in the chairside and laboratory times, 12,30-32 and overall reduction in clinical and laboratory costs. 30 High patient and clinician satisfaction with CAD-CAM CDs has been reported. 33-35 The CAD-CAM clinical protocols used are modified versions of the conventional clinical steps followed during the fabrication of CDs. Although promoted by various manufacturers as being more straightforward and easier, the CAD-CAM protocols require extended time to learn the procedure and to digitize the analog clinical procedures. 34,36 Elaborate instruments, depending on the manufacturing system, are often required to carry out these novel clinical protocols.

No abstract