Overview
Digital denture workflows have collapsed a 5-visit, lab-heavy process into 2–3 visits with reproducible results. The prosthesis can be milled from a puck of pre-polymerised PMMA or printed from a photopolymer resin, with teeth either printed in place, milled separately and bonded, or bonded from pre-fabricated denture teeth.
What digital dentures do well
- Reproducibility — the file can be re-printed if the denture is lost or fractures.
- Fewer appointments and shorter chairside time.
- Tight, predictable tissue surface fit when scanned correctly.
- Easier remakes — the geometry already exists.
Current limitations
- Printed materials are still maturing in fracture toughness compared with milled or compression-moulded PMMA.
- Aesthetic characterisation (gum stippling, individual tooth shading) remains better when added by hand.
- Severe ridge atrophy still benefits from traditional muscle-trimmed impressions.
- Tooth-coloured printed materials have variable colour stability over years.
Cost vs. conventional
List price is often similar to a conventional denture, but remakes and replacements are markedly cheaper because the design file is reusable. For patients prone to losing or breaking dentures, this is a meaningful long-term advantage.