While oral health has improved in many countries there is still a continuing demand for non-implant prosthodontic treatment.   The aim of this trial was to whether there is a patient preference for dentures produced from alginate or silicone impressions

Edentulous adults aged 18 or over who required new complete dentures were invited to participate. Those who had an oral tumour, required an obturator, had extreme xerostomia or know sensitivity to the impression materials were excluded. Patients received two sets of dentures, one set of dentures made from impressions taken with silicone the other set made from alginate impressions. The quality of the impressions was assessed by the clinician and by a second independent inspector and re-taken if not acceptable. Randomisations determined the order of assessment and order of impressions. The primary outcome was patient blinded preference for unadjusted dentures. Secondary outcomes were patient preference for the adjusted dentures, rating of comfort, stability and chewing efficiency, experience of each impression, and an OHIP-EDENT questionnaire.

• 85 patients were recruited (69.4% were female) with a mean age of 69.4(SD 10.87).
• 78 (91.8%) patients completed the primary assessment
  • 53 (67.9%) preferred dentures made with silicone impressions 14 (17.9%) preferred alginate impressions.
  • 4 (5.1%) patients who found both dentures equally satisfactory
  • 7 (9.0%) found both equally unsatisfactory
• There was a 50% difference in preference rates (in favour of silicone) (95%CI 32.7–67.3%, p < 0.0001).
• After the confirmation period
  • there was a 33.8% difference in preference rates for the adjusted dentures (in favour of silicone) (95% CI 14.3–53.3%, p = 0.0016)
  • dentures made from silicone impressions were rated as more stable ( p = 0.0066) and more efficient ( p = 0.0010) than dentures made from alginate impressions after adjustment.

The authors concluded

Dentures made from silicone impressions were preferred by patients over dentures constructed from alginate impressions, both before and after the dentures were adjusted.

Comment

This is an interesting study particularly in it methodological approach that has used randomisation and blinding of clinicians at several stages in order to eliminate bias at a number of points within the process. While clear difference have been shown in the short term it would be interesting to see if these remain in the medium to long term.

Links

Hyde TP, Craddock HL, Gray JC, Pavitt SH, Hulme C, Godfrey M, Fernandez C, Navarro-Coy N, Dillon S, Wright J, Brown S, Dukanovic G, Brunton PA. A Randomised Controlled Trial of complete denture impression materials. J Dent. 2014 Feb 25. pii: S0300-5712(14)00053-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2014.02.005. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 24995473.