As digital dentures rapidly become mainstream in dentistry, more and more practitioners are looking to stay ahead of the curve. That's where Akruti Tataria’s expertise comes in.
For those of you who don’t know, Akruti is a clinical dental technician and dental prosthetist currently working in at iDD Lab in Wellington, New Zealand. She's been featured on our blog recounting her digital dentures workflow and is an upcoming educator for iDD.
When we first started developing our Digital Dentures course with Akruti Tataria, we knew we were onto something exciting.
We've compiled some key insights from Akruti’s chat with Avant Dental, an Australian-based dental laboratory below.
You can also read the original interview article with Avant Dental, here.
From Traditional to Digital: Akruti's Journey
With a strong background in traditional prosthodontics, Akruti saw the potential of digital workflows early on.
"When I first started in dentistry, digital dentures seemed like a far-off dream. But as I saw the technology evolving, I knew this was the future. I immersed myself in learning everything I could about digital workflows, and now I can't imagine going back to purely traditional methods."
Why Digital Dentures?
For Akruti, the appeal of digital dentures lies in their precision and reproducibility.
"Digital workflows allow us to achieve a level of consistency that's hard to match with traditional methods," she explains. This reliability is what Akruti aims to pass on to her students.
"I focus on practical, real-world applications. It's not just about the technology – it's about how we can use it to improve patient outcomes and practice efficiency."
Navigating Common Digital Dentures Misconceptions
Akruti took a comprehensive approach when developing a digital dentures course for iDD. Rather than simply teaching the basics, she’ll delve into the nuances of digital workflows, addressing common misconceptions head-on.
"I want to give course participants the confidence to implement digital denture workflows in their practice," Akruti states. "That means tackling the myths and showing the reality – including the challenges and how to overcome them."
So what common misconceptions are there?
Digital Dentures Are Just 3D Printed
Contrary to popular belief, digital dentures encompass a range of workflows.
While 3D printing is one method, milled dentures are also part of the digital denture family.
The choice between 3D printing and milling often depends on factors like material properties, required precision, production speed, and cost considerations. Each method has its own strengths, allowing dental professionals to select the most appropriate technique for each individual case.
This flexibility is a key advantage of digital denture technology, offering a more tailored approach to prosthetic creation.
Digital Means Cheaper
While digital workflows can lead to long-term cost efficiencies, the initial investment in technology can be substantial.
However, Akruti emphasizes that the real value isn't in immediate cost savings, but in improved accuracy, reproducibility, and patient satisfaction.
“Investing in digital denture technology may seem daunting, but the return on investment typically comes within three to four months.”
These factors can lead to better outcomes and increased patient referrals over time.
In the long run, digital workflows can indeed become more cost-efficient. You might see savings from reduced material waste, fewer remakes, and the ability to easily store and duplicate digital files.
Plus, as your team becomes more skilled with the technology, you may see increased efficiency in your practice. While it's not an instant money-saver, for many practices, the long-term benefits make digital dentures a worthwhile investment.
It's All Automated
While digital technology has streamlined many aspects of denture creation, it hasn't replaced the need for clinical expertise.
Digital dentures still require significant clinical skill and expertise. The technology enhances the dentist's capabilities but doesn't replace the need for sound clinical judgment and experience.
Digital tools enhance a dentist's capabilities, but they don't operate independently.
Throughout the process - from digital impressions to design and final fitting - the dentist's skills and judgment remain crucial. For example, during scanning, the dentist must ensure proper tissue manipulation and capture all necessary anatomical details. In the design phase, it's the dentist's knowledge of occlusion, aesthetics, and function that guides the final product.
Even with advanced software and production methods, treatment planning, evaluating fit, making adjustments, and ensuring proper occlusion all rely heavily on clinical experience.
Digital technology is best viewed as a powerful tool that allows skilled professionals to work more efficiently and potentially achieve more precise results. It's the combination of advanced technology and experienced clinical judgment that truly unlocks the full potential of digital dentures.
Quality Concerns
There's a common myth that digital dentures aren't as precise as traditional methods. Akruti Tataria strongly disagrees with this notion.
While digital dentures do offer aesthetic advantages, their benefits extend far beyond appearance.
"Digital dentures actually offer superior precision compared to traditional methods, leading to a better fit, increased comfort, and improved functionality."
The digital scanning process captures incredibly detailed representations of a patient's oral anatomy. This high level of accuracy reduces the chance of errors that can occur with physical impressions.
As a result, digital dentures often provide:
- A more exact fit
- Greater comfort for patients
- Enhanced functionality
With Akruti's upcoming digital dentures course, her content will delve into the nuances of achieving high-quality results with digital workflows.
Time Efficiency Myths
While digital dentures do offer some time-saving advantages, it's important to have realistic expectations about the overall process.
Digital workflows can streamline certain aspects of denture creation. Taking digital impressions is often quicker and more comfortable for patients than traditional methods. The ability to design dentures digitally also allows for faster iterations and adjustments.
However, the total time from start to finish isn't always significantly reduced. The manufacturing process, whether through 3D printing or milling, still takes time.
Additionally, the learning curve associated with new digital tools and workflows can initially slow things down for practitioners adapting to these technologies.
It's also worth noting that while chairside time might be reduced in some cases, the overall number of appointments may remain similar to traditional methods. Quality control, fit checks, and adjustments are still crucial steps that require time and attention.
In essence, digital dentures offer potential for improved efficiency, but the focus should be on the enhanced precision, consistency, and customization they provide rather than solely on time savings.
The Reality of Digital Dentures
Learning Curve
While digital denture technology definitely has a learning curve, it's not as steep as some might fear.
Yes, dental professionals used to traditional methods may feel daunted at first. But with proper training and support, many have successfully made the switch.
There's certainly an adjustment period, but many clinicians will find that once they've got the basics down, digital workflows can actually streamline parts of the denture creation process. The improved precision and consistency often lead to better outcomes, making the learning effort worthwhile.
In short, while there's a learning curve, it's a manageable one. With some patience and willingness to embrace new tech, many dental professionals have successfully integrated digital dentures into their practice, upgrading their services and patient care.
The Benefits of a Digital Workflow
Digital workflows offer several advantages:
- Easy duplication of dentures
- Precise adjustments
- Improved communication with labs
Digital workflows allow for more precise fit and occlusion, which can lead to better mastication and speech clarity. The ability to make minute adjustments digitally before production means dentures can be tailored more accurately to each patient's unique oral anatomy.
Additionally, the reproducibility of digital designs ensures consistency in replacement dentures, reducing adaptation time for patients. This technology also enables easier fabrication of interim dentures during the healing process after extractions.
Mainstream Adoption
Digital dentures are quickly becoming mainstream in modern dentistry. This shift is driven by improved technology, increasing patient demand, potential efficiency gains, and a growing focus on digital methods in dental education.
Staying ahead of this trend is becoming crucial for dental practices. Early adopters can gain a competitive advantage, future-proof their operations, and attract talent who prefer working with cutting-edge technology.
As digital dentures become more prevalent, those who have already mastered the techniques will be well-positioned in the field.
Akruti's upcoming course is designed to help dental professionals join this digital revolution. By providing online, on-demand training and real-life cases, it aims to ease the transition to digital workflows.
Akruti's Favorite Aspects of Digital Dentures
"What I love about digital dentures is the ability to make precise adjustments easily. If something isn't quite right, we can tweak the design digitally before production, saving time and materials."
"Then there's the improved communication with labs. Digital files allow for clearer, more detailed instructions, leading to better outcomes."
"And let's not forget about easy duplication. Once we have a successful design, we can reproduce it exactly if needed. It's a game-changer for both practitioners and patients."
Conclusion
Digital dentures represent a significant advancement in prosthodontics.
By addressing these common misconceptions and highlighting the realities, we hope to encourage more dental professionals to explore the possibilities of digital workflows.
We strongly encourage you to stay informed about these advancements and consider how they can benefit your practice.
With experts like Akruti Tataria leading the way, the team at iDD is committed to providing the education and resources to navigate this exciting field.
Sign up for iDD’s newsletter to be the first to know when Akruti Tataria's comprehensive Digital Dentures course launches!
Sign up to attend and watch Akruti's webinar with Avant Dental on August 14, 2024 at 6:15PM AEST to learn more about digital dentures, here.