Are digital dentures better than "old-school" traditionally crafted?

It's often said in glossy brochures, Google Ad's and Facebook campaign's that the "state-of-the-art" digital laboratory will produce a better result! Lets unpack that from an industry veteran's perspective.

For years beyond count, dental technology was all analogue. Every single denture appliance involved hand-eye coordination, sophisticated casting and processing machines, fit-for-purpose approved materials. The factors that determined success are multi-faceted with an over-arching theme: competent practitioners! Personal development in skills, fine co-ordination and dedication in the laboratory resulted in high quality outcomes.

The thinking that technology is the Mecca solution quickly caught hold across industry! Why invest the 100's of hours of bench time if you've convinced yourself a scanner and milling machine can effectively make these investments obsolete!

One comparison reached over these three decades in observing the profession changing has led me to state is that denture crafting is analogous to baking a cake! If the inputs, the ingredients, are substandard, or the baker doesn't understand the parameters to produce masterful decorations, the cake will taste terrible! Sugary bloated, sickliness that finds itself promptly in the rubbish bin!

Understanding innately the diverse manufacturing , knowing (and being able) to apply high level theoretic knowledge to your denture fabrication process, having the experience to recognise when and how old school analogue can be hybridised with cutting edge digital; that is when the ideal patient specific selection of techniques can be best applied!

I will summarize by stating that every consultation with a new patient involves selection of what is known to work best for your specific treatment. Knowledge of all tools, techniques and vast clinical experience is advantageous for the patient. Having the intra-oral scanners, and the milling / 3D printing expertise is a must. However, every single restoration should take into account the patient's specific anatomical and physiological condition. Getting the diagnosis correct is without doubt the key factor here.

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