Evaluation of the use of and attitudes towards a face‐bow in complete denture fabrication: a pilot questionnaire investigation in Chinese prosthodontists

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the use of and attitudes towards a face-bow among Chinese prosthodontists in complete denture fabrication. Thirty-six prosthodontists in two dental hospitals affiliated separately to two of the top four dental schools in China were included. A questionnaire was sent to them with 18 questions covering the following four aspects: (i) the education and experience background of the prosthodontists, (ii) their impression of the quality of the dentures, (iii) the use of and attitudes towards a face-bow in complete denture fabrication and (iv) their understanding of jaw relationship and occlusal adjustment in complete denture fabrication. Most (97%) experienced Chinese prosthodontists seldom used a face-bow in complete denture fabrication. Although they (92%) believed that more than 90% of their edentulous patients were satisfied with the complete dentures, 39% of them thought that not using a face-bow might lower the quality of complete dentures and 94% believed that there was a difference between the quality of dentures fabricated with an adjustable articulator and those made with a simple articulator. Among the 36 prosthodontists, 75% often and 8% occasionally did the occlusal adjustment when giving the newly made dentures to their patients. The great majority of prosthodontists in two of top four Chinese dental hospitals, who believed most of their patients satisfied with their complete dentures, seldom used a face-bow. Occlusal adjustment may be helpful to eliminate the possible errors caused by not using a face-bow.