The conventional way of making dentures can be tedious. The procedure may require multiple patient visits and involve complex lab work and the potential need for remakes or relines.
At the UConn School of Dental Medicine, it’s a different story when it comes to creating dentures. The School is no stranger to embracing modern dentistry – almost all disciplines have implemented digital pathways and technology in both their education and patient care programs.
The Department of Prosthodontics is just one example of how UConn embraces the latest technology in dentistry.
“We used conventional techniques to create dentures,” says Dr. Fotini Touloumi, associate professor of prosthodontics at the UConn School of Dental Medicine. “It was tedious and required a lot of work in the lab, so in 2021 we decided to start using digital technology to make dentures.”
Conventional to digital
The dental school uses a “partial” digital workflow, meaning there are steps that are done in the lab and through digital technology — which includes fabrication techniques by subtraction/milling and 3D printing.
From a public health perspective, digital dentistry has a lot of potential, Toulomi says. Digitizing workflows can be easier than conventional methods and much more cost-effective and accessible, with less work required.
More importantly, however, incorporating digital technology can lead to better outcomes for patients.
“They have a better denture fit,” says Tulumi. “It’s an acrylic material, but it’s less porous, so it’s less resistant to bacteria. There’s also a digital record of the dentures, so we can push a button and make a brand new one if the patient loses the denture.”
Patient Success
Digital dentistry has changed the game for patient care in the prosthodontic department. Technology in dentistry allows for improved flexibility for both patient and provider, allowing for more effective and efficient approaches to patient diagnosis and corresponding treatment.
Kathy from Thomaston originally came to UConn because the cost of care was significantly less than care from a private dentist. Kathy needed several tooth extractions and the removal of bone overgrowths to prepare her mouth for dentures.
With all the dental issues to deal with, Kathy’s journey to a brighter smile was a long one. When it came to the final product – a new set of dentures – the process was quick and painless.
Using digital technology, providers at UConn were able to seamlessly fabricate a set of custom-made dentures for Kathy, taking into account her complex dental history.
The result was “a great pair of dentures that fit incredibly well,” says Kathy.
“I feel great about digital dentistry as it has created a pair of dentures that look realistic and fit really well,” says Kathy. “Compared to my old partial dentures, it’s a 100% improvement.”
An enhanced learning experience
Digital dentistry not only benefits patients, but provides a unique learning experience for students and residents.
Dr. Audrey Brigham is a first-year prosthetics resident at UConn. As a graduate of the School of Dentistry, Brigham was drawn to UConn’s top prosthodontic program because of the advanced technology used in the lab and chairside patient care.
Brigham’s desire to go into prosthetics was inspired by her interest in treatment planning. Prosthetics is also an ever-changing field, always looking “three steps ahead,” says Brigham.
“Prosthetics is an area that has evolved so much and has the ability to evolve even more in the future,” Brigham continues. “Especially in the digital aspect.”
The Department of Prosthodontics at UConn places a strong emphasis on modern dentistry and the learning experience. The dental school has its own grinders, 3D printers and intraoral scanners for patients who cannot tolerate impressions — all available for use by students and residents.
The transition from fully conventional denture fabrication methods to a partially digitized workflow has given students and residents the best of both worlds, greatly enhancing the learning experience.
“We have top-of-the-line machinery, products, licenses and digital design software,” says Brigham. “We also cover everything — we do conventional, we do digital, and we’re always up to date on current research.”
Brigham continues, “We’re learning how to use the intraoral scanners, learning when patients may or may not be good candidates for digital.”
At UConn, learning about digital dentistry begins at the preclinical level. Brigham’s dental school class was the first class to experiment with digital dentures. Students typically fabricate three dentures before graduation using the digital workflow.
No matter where students go—prosthodontics, orthodontics, or general dentistry—the integration of digital dentistry at the preclinical level in the prosthodontics department at UConn empowers students to respond to changes in the field.
“The field of dentistry is evolving tremendously, and UConn does a good job of trying to teach its students from the preclinical stage before they graduate to prepare for what the field of digital dentistry will look like in the future,” says Brigham.
