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Do I need to abandon everything I learned about conventional denture fabrication if I want to do digital dentures?

Foundational Denture Principles Remain Unchanged:

  • All fundamental prosthodontic principles taught in dental school still apply completely
  • Accurate impressions capturing all anatomical landmarks remain essential
  • Proper jaw relation records (vertical and horizontal) are still required
  • Esthetic evaluation with patient input remains critical
  • Phonetic verification is unchanged

 

What Digital Technology Changes:

  • The method of recording and preserving clinical information (analog to digital conversion)
  • The communication method with laboratory (visual digital previews versus written prescriptions)
  • The fabrication technique (milling or printing versus conventional processing)
  • The ability to iterate and refine designs before physical fabrication
  • Permanent preservation of all clinical data for future reference

 

Denture Skills That Transfer Directly:

  • Clinical examination and treatment planning skills
  • Impression technique knowledge (border molding, tissue management, anatomical landmark identification)
  • Jaw relation record capture (bimanual manipulation, centric relation techniques, vertical dimension assessment)
  • Esthetic evaluation (tooth position, shade selection, facial harmony assessment)
  • Denture adjustment and delivery procedures

 

New Denture Skills to Develop:

  • Understanding digital file formats (STL files) and their management
  • Communicating effectively through digital previews with laboratory technicians
  • Working with monolithic trial dentures (paradigm shift from wax try-ins)
  • Basic CAD software navigation if choosing to design in-house
  • Troubleshooting digital workflow issues

 

Integration Approach:

  • Digital workflows enhance rather than replace your clinical knowledge
  • Your understanding of conventional techniques makes you better at digital dentistry
  • You can implement digital gradually, not requiring complete workflow overhaul immediately
  • Hybrid approaches (conventional records with digital fabrication) are completely valid

 

Educational Philosophy:

  • Think of digital as amplifying your existing skills with better tools
  • The clinical judgment you developed remains the most important factor
  • Technology serves your clinical decision making, not replaces it
  • Your prosthodontic training is the foundation upon which digital skills are built

 

Additional Resources

For more information concerning the digital dentures:

 

Contact Information

For help with a digital denture solution for your next case, contact ROE Dental Laboratory: