Trends in Computer-Aided Manufacturing in Prosthodontics: A Review of the Available Streams

In prosthodontics, conventional methods of fabrication of oral and facial prostheses have been considered the gold standard for many years. The development of computer-aided manufacturing and the medical application of this industrial technology have provided an alternative way of fabricating oral a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jaafar Abduo, Karl Lyons, Mohammed Bennamoun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:International Journal of Dentistry
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/783948
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Summary:In prosthodontics, conventional methods of fabrication of oral and facial prostheses have been considered the gold standard for many years. The development of computer-aided manufacturing and the medical application of this industrial technology have provided an alternative way of fabricating oral and facial prostheses. This narrative review aims to evaluate the different streams of computer-aided manufacturing in prosthodontics. To date, there are two streams: the subtractive and the additive approaches. The differences reside in the processing protocols, materials used, and their respective accuracy. In general, there is a tendency for the subtractive method to provide more homogeneous objects with acceptable accuracy that may be more suitable for the production of intraoral prostheses where high occlusal forces are anticipated. Additive manufacturing methods have the ability to produce large workpieces with significant surface variation and competitive accuracy. Such advantages make them ideal for the fabrication of facial prostheses.
ISSN:1687-8728
1687-8736