Digital Dentures Vs. Conventional Dentures—What’s Best for Your Patient?

Estimates suggest that Americans over the age of 65 will comprise nearly 20% of the population—some 72 million—by 2030. As such, the 65+ demographic makes up an ever-greater proportion of patients seeking dental treatment. Many of them are excellent candidates for restorative dental solutions—and can especially benefit from the improved functionality, aesthetics, and convenience of digital dentures.

Thanks in part to this rapidly-growing population, nearly 200 million people in the US are expected to be edentulous by 2036. As a result, dental practices and laboratories are scaling up their treatment processes, skills, and output to meet current and future patient needs. Digital dentures, workflows, and the wider field of digital dentistry in general offer practitioners an array of new opportunities.

Conventional Dentures: Common Issues and Challenges

The traditional reverse image process for dentures has remained much the same over the past 90 or so years. It involves taking multiple impressions of the patient’s mouth—manufacturing a custom impression tray and contoured bite rims, and setting up and waxing teeth to create optimal gingival contours. Technicians then use these impressions to fabricate a detailed prosthesis. They mix, press, and cure the acrylic material, followed by hand-finishing and polishing the completed product.

Even basic dentures can cost between $600 and $1,000; top-quality, customized models might set patients back between $4,000 and $8,000 for a complete set. And unfortunately, insurance generally only covers around 50% of the total cost.

Fabricating dentures is a time-consuming process for patients, dentists, and technicians alike. Multiple appointments, meticulous work, attention to detail, and exceptional precision are needed to ensure a good fit. If the impression isn’t accurate, the dentures won’t function properly and might be painful, even leading to sores on the gums and tongue. Errors can occur at any stage, compounding into larger problems down the line.

Dentures may even need remaking if they have an inaccurate or inadequate bite registration. Positioning relative to the lower jaw is vital for chewing food and speaking. But attaining accurate measurements—as well as interpreting these measurements correctly—can prove a challenge.

The patient’s overall health is another consideration, including whether there are issues that might affect the dentures. Medications, age, and even skin conditions can all influence how the patient will adapt.

Prosthetics can bring life-changing benefits to the edentulous. Nonetheless, the various procedures for fitting and manufacturing conventional dentures take time. It isn’t a comfortable process, and more time in the dentist’s chair means higher costs for the patient—and fewer patients for the practitioner.

Digital Dentures: The Future of Restorative Dentistry

Digital dentures have transformed restorative dentistry for dentists as well as patients. Thanks to innovative technology, software, and equipment, the resulting workflow is a massive time-saver and productivity booster. Technicians can work much faster, patients spend a lot less time in the chair, and the overall results are equally good (and often better).

Digital dentures last longer, fit better, are reproducible and more comfortable than conventionally made dentures. By using light-cured liquid resin, a top-quality and very durable material, dentures are less likely to break and require less maintenance. Further, you can also easily customize gum tissue and teeth shade.

Digital dentures still require the craft of skilled technicians. However, compared with conventional dentures, these dentures involve a more straightforward process. While one can convert physical impressions to a digital file, in a 100% digital procedure, lab technicians use scanned intraoral images and bite registrations to create and customize virtual dentures via computer-aided design (CAD). Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) can assist if implant surgery is needed. Accurate data and workflow automation makes the process substantially more comfortable and streamlined for dental patients.

Digital manufacturing equipment—such as 3D printers or milling machines—delivers a range of quality, customized products and prostheses with superior fit and consistent results. This increases both patient and clinical acceptance, resulting in fewer errors and adjustments while also lowering costs.

From here, dental technicians can fabricate and modify 3D models as needed, after a “try-in” with the patient. After adjusting tooth position and/or shade, the dentures are then manufactured via either additive 3D printing or subtractive 3D milling. The end product is an exceptionally accurate and realistic restoration with consistent results done in record time.

Getting Started with Digital Dentures and Workflows

Digital solutions are transforming every aspect of restorative dentistry, increasing productivity and efficiency in denture design and manufacturing.

Granted, the equipment—software and hardware, including CT intraoral scanners, digital X-ray machines, and more—constitutes a sizeable financial outlay. However, a faster and more accurate work process, higher throughput, more consistent output, better prosthetic acceptance rates, and clinical outcomes, all make the investment in digital dentures more than worthwhile. As this innovative technology becomes increasingly affordable, there are new opportunities to upgrade equipment and software while improving the standard of patient care.

However, not every practice that offers complete prosthetics needs to pivot immediately from an analog to a digital setup. A number of integrated treatment solutions are currently available for edentulous patients. For instance, practitioners can start small by introducing basic scanning, design, or production tools, moving some processes in-house, and then scaling up over time.

Some of the simpler applications include 3D printers, clear aligners, and surgical guides for improved flexibility and capacity. Thereafter, an intraoral scanner makes another good addition to a dental practice, while a lab may benefit more from a desktop optical scanner.

Before making a purchase, compare physical samples of the final milled or printed product. When it comes to design software, the same applies—though in the form of a product demo in this case. Also, any software package needs to be compatible with your chosen equipment.

Present systems and workflows make it easier for dentists to learn new procedures and incorporate them at their own pace. Sterngold can help your dental practice to achieve a modernized workflow and assist in the seamless transition toward digital denture processes on your timeline.

Sterngold Dental’s tiered entry program into digital dentures, fits just the bill. Sterngold can meet the dental lab or clinician at their readiness level in order to help them provide digital dentures more immediately; even the next day*.

Embrace the Shift to Digital

A shift to digital dentistry makes for a natural progression for dental professionals involved in developing restorative prostheses. Further, it highlights the overriding importance of simplicity and predictability in production workflows.

As your dental practice transitions to a digital workflow, you’ll need a reliable partner along the way. Sterngold is a trusted source of restorative dental products and services—a leader in the industry with an in-depth knowledge of what the transition takes. Reach out to Sterngold for expert digital denture technology support, products, and education as you start your switch today!