A review on clinical use of CAD/CAM and 3D printed dentures in dental practices

The aim of this article was to review the current clinical application of Computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and three dimensional (3D) printed dentures in dental clinics. Methods: : A systematic approach for searching PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The search was performed using a variety of keywords including clinical use AND 3D printed removable dentures OR clinical use AND CAD/CAM removable dentures OR clinical use AND digital removable dentures . Selection criteria included articles written in English and reporting information on clinical applications of digital dentures between 2010 to January 2022. Results: The findings outlined the main clinical advantages of digital dentures such as saving working time, satisfying clinical results and securing patients records, and also requirement of additional visits to secure esthetic patient satisfaction, good retention and ideal vertical dimension. Many studies recommended performing clinical try-in in regards to provide better results. It was also established that 3D printers are less expensive than milling centers and therefore can be afforded by individual dental professionals. Conclusion: Digital dentures are a promising treatment and offer superior possibilities in the field of prosthodontics especially in lower-income areas where skilled technicians are scarce. However, there are some limitations in their applications.