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26 prosthetic section DENTAL TECHNOLOGY, JANUARY-MARCH 2023

FIG 28: 3D printed upper denture base with palatal characterization FIG 29: GC OptiGlaze treatment on upper dentures

THE DIGITAL APPROACH TO DENTURE PRODUCTION IS HERE TO STAY, FOR THOSE
WITH WHOM IT RESONATES. IT IS NOT A TUG OF WAR BETWEEN TWO METHODS -

DIGITAL AND CONVENTIONAL. TO EACH HIS/HER OWN AS THEY SAY. IN THE END,
THE PURSUIT IS THE SAME: COST EFFECTIVENESS AND PATIENT SATISFACTION.

as GC Optiglaze, which are applied in thin layers on the surface of the dentures is a must. There are those in the profession who argue that
teeth and gingiva. A variety of effects can be achieved with these, this is not the way they were taught, or that they can produce a set of
ranging from very subtle to more extreme. Since this was my first go dentures conventionally in the same amount of time that it takes dig-
of this, I opted for subtlety (Figures 29). itally, so why bother?
Well, nobody, least of me, would debate that. The digital approach
PATIENT FOLLOW-UP to denture production is here nonetheless, for those with whom it res-
In order to adequately compare 3D printed dentures with acrylic ones onates. It is not a tug of war between two methods. To each his/her
in the long term, it is fair to say that the patient must make a perma- own as they say. In the end, the pursuit is the same: cost effectiveness
nent transition to the new dentures. As it turns out, some eleven and patient satisfaction.
months since our patient was handed his 3D printed dentures, he
never really did. While he does use them on occasion, he has contin-
ued to wear his old worn out and ill-fitting ones most of the time.
When asked why, he answered that food just doesn’t taste same with
the new dentures. We believe this to be attributed to the fact that the
3D printed dentures, as with any new dentures compared to worn out
ones, are much better adapted to the tissues.
As dental practitioners, it is out of our control what a patient does About the authors
outside of the clinic. Had his old dentures been disposed of from the
onset, perhaps he would have had no choice but to get used to the André Gaul, C.D.T. is a certified dental technician
new dentures? Whatever the case may be, we will not be able to per- currently employed as the Director of Dental
form a long term assessment of 3D printed dentures as initially Technologies at DenPlus Inc. Formerly a special
intended. effects make-up technician of 14 years, he was
attracted by the dental technician profession for its
many similarities to his earlier career. He graduated
CONCLUSION the Dental Technician program at Cégep Edouard
Our overall impression of this digital process was tremendously posi- Montpetit, during which he earned himself two
tive. Contrary to popular beliefs, we didn’t need the latest and most scholarships. He was drawn to the ever-evolving fi eld
accurate desktop scanner nor the most expensive 3D printer on the of digital dentistry early on, and when the opportunity
to contribute to DenPlus Inc’s foray into the digital
market to yield accurate results.
realm, he jumped at the chance and has been with
Like the traditional approach to making dentures, efficiency comes the company since.
down to taming the tools and the processes.
If a concise workflow is dialed-in, significant time can be gained Hung Hsuan Lin D.D. is a young denturist, of
and/or allocated elsewhere, and the number of patient visits reduced. Taiwanese origin, who has been practicing in the
Montreal area for a few years. He has obtained BPS
On the practical side, skipping the flasking, boiling-out and acrylic
training and certification and is passionate about
packing processes is sure to appeal to many people. Of course, not digital technologies. With great ambition, his goal is
everyone will find themselves at home in front of the computer to transition to a 100% digital practice in the years
screen, but there remains a manual part in the process that is very sat- to come. Each year, he devotes part of his time to
isfying. To us, the simple fact that a digital denture can be re-printed continuous training in digital techniques in order to
improve his skills and offer patients the most modern
and processed at will, with minimal efforts (in case of loss or irrecov-
treatments.
erable damage) is, on its own, remarkable.
Let’s take a step back and ponder about whether or not 3D printed