COMPLETE DENTURES FABRICATED BY 3D PRINTING WITH ZERO PRESSURE IMPRESSION TECHNIQUE AND CONVENTIONAL METHODS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ROYAL MOBILE DENTAL UNIT IN PHANGNGA PROVINCE: A COMPARISON OF PATIENT SATISFACTION

Abstract

Objective: To compare patient satisfaction between conventional complete dentures (CD) and three-dimensionally printed digital complete dentures (DD) delivered under the Royal Denture Project mobile outreach service in Phang Nga Province. Methods: This prospective analytical study included 25 edentulous participants (CD = 15, DD = 10). The CD group received conventional mucocompressive impressions with alginate and stone casts. The DD group was treated using a zero-pressure impression technique combining intraoral scanning and cast digitization to capture the mucosa in a non-distorted functional-rest state. Patient satisfaction was assessed using a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS) at three time points: immediately after insertion and the first meal, after 24 hours, and after one and a half months of use. Intergroup comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test at α = 0.05. Results: Overall VAS satisfaction did not differ significantly between the CD and DD groups at any follow-up (all p > 0.05). Both groups showed progressive improvement in comfort and functional performance. Conclusion: In a mobile denture outreach setting, 3D-printed dentures produced using a zero-pressure impression pathway provided patient satisfaction comparable to conventionally fabricated dentures. These findings support the feasibility of adopting digital workflows and 3D printing technology in large-scale denture delivery services.