Evaluation of accuracy and position of milled and printed teeth in digital complete dentures.

Abstract

To compare the accuracy of milled vs printed complete denture bases and teeth and to assess the position of the teeth on the corresponding denture bases. Two different manufacturing techniques were used in this study. In group A, 10 complete dentures were digitally designed and fabricated by milling prepolymerized blocks of polymethyl methacrylate. In group B, 10 complete dentures were digitally designed and fabricated using the 3D printing technique. The accuracy of the maxillary and mandibular denture bases and teeth and the position of the teeth on the corresponding denture bases were evaluated using Geomagic Control X software. Data were presented as mean and SD values. Statistical analysis of the resultant data was performed using Student t test. The significance level was set at P ≤ .05. The results revealed lower surface deviations of the maxillary and mandibular milled denture bases (group A) with values of 0.158 ± 0.024 and 0.117 ± 0.022, respectively. Lower surface deviations of the printed teeth (group B) were found with values of 0.18 ± 0.016 for the maxillary teeth and 0.153 ± 0.02 for the mandibular teeth, and for position of teeth on the corresponding denture bases, the values were 0.4 ± 0.08 for the maxillary teeth and 1.003 ± 0.027 for the position of the mandibular teeth. The milling technique yields complete denture bases with superior accuracy, while printing technology provides denture teeth with better accuracy and positioning on the corresponding denture bases.