Is the Number of Appointments for Complete Denture Fabrication Reduced with CAD-CAM? A Literature Review

Abstract

One of the key arguments in favor of digitally produced complete dentures (CDs) is the requirement for less patient visits in comparison to the conventional workflow. However, it is not yet clear if this argument is accurate; nor, if indeed the insertion of the complete dentures is achieved in fewer appointments, how many are required. The purpose of this literature review was to investigate the reported number of required patient visits for the production of digitally fabricated CDs. An electronic search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE using three groups of keywords: “complete dentures”, “CAD/CAM”, and “Appointments” with their alternative forms. Out of the initial 157 results, 36 articles were automatically selected utilizing exclusion keywords. After consensus between the two examiners, eight articles were finally analyzed and presented in a table. The majority (75%) of the reports came from institutions, and the average number of appointments up to complete denture insertion was 4.1, not always including try-in dentures. In this study, it can be concluded that, with a digital workflow, the insertion appointment is reached in fewer visits than the conventional five-visit procedure which is commonly taught in dental schools.

Occurrence of Temporomandibular Disorders among patients undergoing treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS) using Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD): A Systematic Review conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and the Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions

“…[12][13][14][15] This device is applied to natural teeth and not to dental prosthesis. [16][17][18][19] The existing literature provides limited information on the long-term effects of MAD therapy on TMD occurrence. Most studies have relatively short follow-up periods.…”

“…Additionally, patient compliance and adherence to the proper use of MADs are crucial for achieving successful outcomes in the management of snoring and OSAS 12‐15 . This device is applied to natural teeth and not to dental prosthesis 16‐19 …”

Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in oncological patients: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…5 Subsequently, a burgeoning body of research spanning pathophysiological, molecular, cellular and animal model studies has laid the initial groundwork, providing a biologically plausible basis for this conjectured relationship. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Nevertheless, the findings from clinical investigations, both in population-wide and clinical cohort studies, as well as the ensuing meta-analyses of such data, have presented divergent conclusions. [13][14][15] These discordant outcomes likely stem from several contributing factors: (i) the existence of crucial confounding variables, shared by individuals with cancer and OSA, such as chronological age, body mass index (BMI), smoking habits and other potentially overlooked sleep disorders, which demand comprehensive scrutiny 16 ; (ii) the retrospective nature of the majority of studies, which inherently imparts limitations regarding data quality and analysis [17][18][19][20][21][22][23] ; (iii) utilisation of national insurance health databases as primary data sources, which often lack key variables essential for comprehensive analysis 24 ; and (iv) inconsistent inclusion and assessment of OSA diagnosis and severity, often measured disparately as apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation indexes (ODI) 25 or mere nighttime oxygen saturation falling below 90% (TC90%) (notably, TC90% does not signify intermittent hypoxia but rather continuous nocturnal hypoxia, which may exist independently of OSA and could be contingent on underlying cardiovascular or respiratory conditions or obesity itself).…”

“…In 2007, Abrams introduced a hypothesis in the hypothesis journal, postulating a potential connection between intermittent hypoxemia (IH), a hallmark of OSAS and the development of cancer 5 . Subsequently, a burgeoning body of research spanning pathophysiological, molecular, cellular and animal model studies has laid the initial groundwork, providing a biologically plausible basis for this conjectured relationship 6–12 . Nevertheless, the findings from clinical investigations, both in population‐wide and clinical cohort studies, as well as the ensuing meta‐analyses of such data, have presented divergent conclusions 13–15 .…”