Background and Objectives: Complete dentures remain a primary solution for oral rehabilitation in aging and medically compromised populations. The integration of digital workflows, regenerative materials, and smart technologies is propelling prosthodontics towards a new era, transcending the limitations of traditional static prostheses. Materials and Methods: This narrative review synthesizes historical developments, current practices, and future innovations in complete denture therapy. A comprehensive review of literature from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (2000–2025) was conducted, with a focus on materials science, digital design, patient-centered care, artificial intelligence (AI), and sustainable fabrication. Results: Innovations in the field include high-performance polymers, CAD–CAM systems, digital impressions, smart sensors, and bioactive liners. Recent trends in the field include the development of self-monitoring prostheses, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven design platforms, and bioprinted regenerative bases. These advances have been shown to enhance customization, durability, hygiene, and patient satisfaction. However, challenges persist in terms of accessibility, clinician training, regulatory validation, and ethical integration of digital data. Conclusions: The field of complete denture therapy is undergoing a transition toward a new paradigm of prosthetics that are personalized, intelligent, and sustainable. To ensure the integration of these technologies into standard care, ongoing interdisciplinary research, clinical validation, and equitable implementation are imperative.

Background: Patient satisfaction is a critical outcome in the rehabilitation of edentulous patients. While conventional fabrication methods are widely used, digital workflows are emerging as viable alternatives. However, direct comparative evidence from the patient’s perspective remains limited. Objective: To compare patient satisfaction between conventional complete dentures (C-CD) and digital complete dentures (D-CD) in maxillary edentulous patients, including changes in perceptions over time and final prosthesis preference. Methods: A prospective, randomized crossover clinical trial was conducted in 2023–2024 involving 40 completely maxillary edentulous patients meeting specific inclusion criteria. Participants were randomly allocated into two sequence groups: Group 1 (n = 20) received C-CD first, and Group 2 (n = 20) received D-CD first, each for 6 months (T1), followed by crossover to the alternate denture for another 6 months (T2). Patient satisfaction was measured using a 10-item questionnaire at 6 and 12 months. Statistical analysis: Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for within-subject comparisons of denture types, and Mann–Whitney U tests for between-group comparisons, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: Using the paired crossover analysis, D-CD showed significantly better comfort than C-CD (p < 0.05). D-CD scored significantly higher than C-CD in most satisfaction domains, including comfort, retention, speech, esthetics, and need for adjustments (p ≤ 0.05). Median scores for retention, speech, esthetics, and other domains were slightly higher with D-CD but did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). Additionally, the D-CD required fewer post-insertion adjustment visits than the C-CD (p < 0.05). By the end of the trial, 28 patients (70%) preferred the digital denture as their final prosthesis, whereas 12 patients (30%) preferred the conventional denture. Conclusions: Incorporating digital technology in the fabrication of complete dentures significantly enhances patient satisfaction compared to conventional methods. This study highlights the clinical relevance of modern dental prosthesis technology and supports the wider integration of digital workflows. Within the limitations of this pilot study, digitally fabricated complete dentures provided overall patient satisfaction comparable to conventional dentures, with the D-CD offering a notable improvement in comfort. The majority of patients ultimately favored the digital denture, supporting the clinical viability of CAD/CAM workflows.

Background: Dental erosion is the irreversible loss of tooth structure from acid exposure. Its prevalence is rising globally, making it an important oral health concern. However, longitudinal data from Eastern Europe are scarce, especially in Romania. This pilot study aimed to assess the 10-year incidence of dental erosion in Romanian young adults and to compare clinical index scoring with digital scanning. Methods: A 10-year prospective study followed 540 Romanian adults (aged 18–30) selected with no erosive lesions at baseline (Basic Erosive Wear Examination BEWE = 0). Erosive wear was assessed at the 10-year follow-up using BEWE, with 40 participants also undergoing digital intraoral scanning to measure enamel loss (μm). Gender differences were analyzed. Chi-square tests, relative risk, and correlation analyses were performed. Results: After 10 years, 23.2% of participants developed dental erosion. Males exhibited a higher incidence than females (29.9% vs. 17.2%; RR = 1.74, p < 0.001). Among the scanned subset (n = 40), the mean enamel loss was 137 ± 79 µm, with greater wear on palatal vs. buccal surfaces (p = 0.002). BEWE scores were moderately correlated with digital enamel loss (r = 0.58, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Erosion progressed over time in this cohort, with males at higher risk. Digital scanning detected subtle enamel loss not captured by BEWE, indicating greater sensitivity to early changes. BEWE and digital methods provided complementary information; their combined use offers a more comprehensive assessment.

Background: Patient satisfaction is a critical outcome in the rehabilitation of edentulous patients. While conventional fabrication methods are widely used, digital workflows are emerging as viable alternatives. However, direct comparative evidence from the patient's perspective remains limited. Objective: To compare patient satisfaction between conventional complete dentures (C-CD) and digital complete dentures (D-CD) in maxillary edentulous patients, to assess perception changes and final patient preferences. Methods: A prospective, randomized, crossover clinical trial was conducted between 2023 and 2024 involving 40 complete maxillary edentulous patients with specific inclusion criteria. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups: Group 1 (n=20) received C-CD, and Group 2 (n=20) received D-CD for a period of 6 months, followed by crossover to the alternate prosthesis for another 6 months. Patient satisfaction was assessed using a validated 10-item questionnaire at 6 and 12 months. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U test for non-parametric data, with significance set at p≤0.05. Results: D-CD scored significantly higher than C-CD in most satisfaction domains, including comfort, retention, speech, esthetics, and need for adjustments (p≤0.05). Conclusions: Incorporating digital technology in the fabrication of complete dentures significantly enhances patient satisfaction compared to conventional methods. This study highlights the clinical relevance of modern dental prosthesis technology and supports the wider integration of digital workflows.

Background/Objectives: This study investigates the chemical structure and molecular interactions in 3D-printed dental resins reinforced with varying concentrations of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) nanoparticles, using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to assess the compatibility and bonding behavior at the molecular level. Methods: Three groups of 3D-printed methacrylate-based resin discs were fabricated: a control (0% YSZ), and experimental groups reinforced with 1% and 3% YSZ nanoparticles. Samples were produced using Digital Light Processing (DLP) technology and post-processed under standardized conditions. FTIR spectra were collected via ATR mode over a wavenumber range of 4000–600 cm⁻¹. Spectral differences at key wavenumbers (1721.16, 1237.11, and 929.62 cm⁻¹) were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test. Results: FTIR spectra showed no significant shifts in the ester carbonyl band at 1721.16 cm⁻¹, suggesting the preservation of the core resin matrix. However, a statistically significant increase in absorbance at 1237.11 cm⁻¹ was observed in the 1% YSZ group (p = 0.034), indicating dipolar interaction. A distinct new peak at 929.62 cm⁻¹, corresponding to Zr–O vibrations, emerged in the 3% YSZ group (p = 0.002), confirming successful nanoparticle integration. Conclusions: YSZ nanoparticles enhance specific molecular interactions within methacrylate-based dental resins without compromising structural integrity. These findings support the potential application of YSZ-reinforced 3D-printed resins in durable, biocompatible permanent dental restorations.

Objective: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of erosive conditions on the wear resistance of aesthetic direct restorative materials. Methods: Six dental filling materials were tested: two composites (Filtek Z550 and X-tra fil), two compomers (Dyract Extra and Twinky Star) and two glass ionomers (Ketac Molar and Fuji II LC). Twenty disks (10mm×2mm) of each material were prepared (n=120) and kept in artificial saliva at 37˚C for 24 hours. Specimens were cycled in acidic soft drink (Coca-Cola) 5×/day, for 5’, over 30 days. Initial surface roughness ISR (Ra-μm) and final surface roughness FSR were measured using a profilometer. The wear rate was calculated as difference of final minus the initial roughness (ΔSR=FSR-ISR). For statistical analysis t-test and one-way ANOVA test were used by GraphPad Prism version 5.03 statistical software. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The erosive wear rates (mean±SD, μm) after exposure to acidic beverage were: 0.30±0.03 (Ketac Molar), 0.28±0.04 (Fuji II LC), 0.27±0.00 (Filtek Z550), 0.23±0.01 (X-tra fil), 0.20±0.00 (Twinky Star) and 0.14±0.01 Dyract Extra, respectively. There were significant differences between the tested materials (p<0.05). Conclusions: Dental filling materials had different behaviour under the same erosive condition, however all investigated aesthetic restorative materials showed surface degradation. These findings suggest that erosive wear resistance of tooth coloured restoratives could influence their longevity in intraoral acidic conditions. Acknowledgements: The study was supported by the Internal Research Grant no. 5/30.01.2013 of the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Tirgu Mureş.