COMPLETE PROSTHESES TREATMENT – PRESENT AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
in case of failure of a digital protocol, a traditional approach can always be instituted, or a combination of the two. 85 A survey of U. S. post-doctoral program directors and predoctoral department chairs found that the use of digital technology in denture fabrication is incorporated in more than half of the graduate programs, while only 12 % of the surveyed schools observe it in predoctoral education. It is estimated that up to 10 % of complete dentures delivered in academic settings are processed by digital means. 86 The use of digital technologies for complete denture fabrication in predoctoral education was found to be an effective and time saving method. The process was preferred and used effectively by students. 87
6. Denturists and clinical dental technicians Denturism was defined as the practice of fabrication and fitting of removable dentures by dental technicians, who perform both the clinical and laboratory stages of denture making. 88 In some countries, denturists are known as clinical dental technicians. In the U. S. the practice of denturism is regulated in WA, OR, ID, MT, AZ, ME. Other states are seeking regulation( WY, TX, IL, IN, KY, TN, PA, VT, MA), with recent legislative action in CA, CO, OK, GA. 89 Denturists practice legally also in Canada, New Zeeland, and Finland. There is an indication of illegal practice of denturism in Belgium, Greece, and the U. K., 90 but it is probably much more widespread, especially in the developing world. It was speculated that the development of denturism was mainly driven by dental technicians. Access to care was supposedly improved in the areas where denturists are allowed to practice. 90 The literature on the practice of denturism is scarce; more data are needed before making informed recommendations on what role should such a category of dental professionals play in the modern prosthodontic care delivery.
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Stomatology Edu Journal
7. Summary and conclusions Although prevalence of edentulism is expected to further decrease in the future, as population is increasing and aging, many millions of people will still be edentulous during the next decades, especially within the lower socio-economic segment of population. Implant-retained / supported restorations may remain rather a privilege, than a mainstream treatment. The future of conventional complete denture treatment, as we know it from classic textbooks, remains questionable, considering the reduced appetite of general practitioners and patients for time consuming treatments. In this climate, simplified techniques deserve an increasing attention from practitioners and dental educators, as it was shown that such methods enable similar results, as compared to traditional protocols. Digital technologies are expected to further improve treatment outcomes, within simplified protocols. As mid-level dental providers became a reality in some jurisdictions, denturism could be considered part of the solution too, especially in underserved areas. In the 21 st century, no one should walk around toothless. Our patients deserve outcome driven, predictable, time- and cost-effective treatments, within dental care delivery systems that are able to absorb the consistent need for such therapies.
Author contributions Study concept and preparation of manuscript- SUT. Revision of manuscript and literature search- MVC. Acknowledgements The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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