Complete denture analyzed by optical coherence tomography

Abstract

The complete dentures are currently made using different technologies. In order to avoid deficiencies of the prostheses made using the classical technique, several alternative systems and procedures were imagined, directly related to the material used and also to the manufacturing technology. Thus, at the present time, there are several injecting systems and technologies on the market, that use chemoplastic materials, which are heat cured (90-100°C), in dry or wet environment, or cold cured (below 60°C). There are also technologies that plasticize a hard cured material by thermoplastic processing (without any chemical changes) and then inject it into a mold. The purpose of this study was to analyze the existence of possible defects in several dental prostheses using a non invasive method, before their insertion in the mouth. Different dental prostheses, fabricated from various materials were investigated using en-face optical coherence tomography. In order to discover the defects, the scanning was made in three planes, obtaining images at different depths, from 0,01 μm to 2 mm. In several of the investigated prostheses we found defects which may cause their fracture. These defects are totally included in the prostheses material and can not be vizualised with other imagistic methods. In conclusion, en-face OCT is an important investigative tool for the dental practice.