denture aesthetics C D A J O U R N A L , V O L 4 9 , Nº 6
Complete Denture Aesthetics Revisited in the Digital Age Steven J. Sadowsky, DDS
abstract Background: The objective of this review is to elucidate the principles of complete denture aesthetics and establish a rationale for a digital workflow for chairside arrangement of artificial teeth. Types of studies reviewed: Articles were culled on the topic of complete denture aesthetics and the digital fabrication of complete dentures. These included systematic and literature review articles as well as clinical, descriptive and in vitro studies that range from 1958 to 2020 using PubMed and Web of Science databases. Results: Biometric measurements have been illuminated over the last 60 years, serving as a basis for analogue and digital denture aesthetics. However, a number of studies have shown that individual arrangement of the anterior teeth is essential to capture asymmetry and balance in the setup. This review highlights that customization of the smile is optimally done chairside with patient feedback. A proof of concept was identified from the literature to incorporate a wax try-in in the digital workflow. Practical implications: Given the heightened value placed on aesthetics in dentistry, a review of complete denture aesthetics will enhance the clinician’s skillset, and incorporating a chairside try-in in the digital workflow will lead to more authentic prostheses. Key words: Complete denture aesthetics, biometrics, digital dentures
AUTHOR Steven J. Sadowsky, DDS, is professor in the department of preventive and restorative dentistry at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontists and sits on the editorial review boards of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Implants
and the International Journal of Prosthodontics. He is the abstract editor of the International Journal of Prosthodontics and has been appointed to the editorial council of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Conflict of Interest Disclosure: None reported.
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digital approach to fabricating complete dentures has offered clinicians a more efficient fabrication process enlisting computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/ CAM) technology for milled and printed dentures.1,2 The advent of 3D facial scanning (3DFS) and designing technology has facilitated a virtual clinical evaluation of the aesthetic denture setup.3 There are notable advantages to using
a digital approach with 3DFS. The 3D libraries for teeth are quite exhaustive with 3,500 denture teeth and 380 tooth mould libraries available, including wellknown companies such as Myerson, Vita, Shofu, Candulor, Kulzer and Dentsply. You can download any library with an exocad serial number and a valid email address. A permanent exocad DentalCAD license with a currently active upgrade contract or an exocad DentalCAD/ ChairsideCAD/exoplan Flex License JUNE 2 0 2 1
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