Comparative evaluation of the manufacturing time of arch prosthesis frames created using traditional and digital technologies

Abstract

The aim of the study was to conduct a comparative assessment of the time spent by an orthopedic dentist and a dental technician for manufacturing the frames of arch prostheses obtained using digital and traditional technologies. The patients were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of 10 patients (4 men and 6 women), whose orthopedic treatment was performed with arch prostheses made according to the traditional method. Patients in the second group (7 men and 3 women) were treated using additive manufacturing technology. In total, 20 frames of arch prostheses were made, 10 in each group. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used for statistical analysis of the results obtained. Based on the data obtained, it was found that for the manufacture of an arc prosthesis frame using the Asiga Max UV 3D printer, an orthopedic dentist needs to spend 40.9±5.322 minutes, and a dental technician — 177.2±9.259 minutes. To make the frame of an arc prosthesis using traditional casting technology, the orthopedic dentist must spend 41.1±5.322 minutes, and the dental technician — 240.3±8.895 minutes. These data allowed us to conclude that the production of the arch prosthesis frame using modern digital technologies requires less total time and time spent by a dental technician in the laboratory, compared to the traditional casting method (p<0,0166667). No statistical differences were found between the time spent by the orthopedic dentist in the clinic when manufacturing the arch prosthesis frame using digital and traditional methods.