A Scoping Review on Accuracy and Acceptance of 3D-Printed Removable Partial Dentures

This scoping review aims to provide comprehensive evidence on methods used to assess the accuracy and acceptance of three-dimensional (3D)-printed removable partial dentures (RPDs). An electronic search of English language literature from January 2014 to 2024 was performed on five databases, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Google Scholar, using MesH terms. The parameter of interest was extracted and presented in tabular form. Of 1025 retrieved studies, 35 studies were included in the final analysis. Most studies were laboratory-based, and clinical trials were conducted between 2018 and 2022 without a control group. The studies included the use of the stone model or duplication model as a reference, as well as the direct 3D printing method and polished frame for detecting the accuracy of fit. The assessment method was divided into two categories: (1) qualitative (visual and tactile method) and (2) quantitative assessment, which includes optical and computerized methods for assessing the accuracy of fit. Dentist perception and patient-related outcomes were evaluated to measure the acceptance of 3D-printed RPDs. In conclusion, patients' satisfaction and dentists' acceptance of digitally printed RPDs were greater than those of conventional ones. The quantitative method (mainly computerized) provides a more accurate and precise assessment to evaluate the accuracy of fit. It allows clinicians to detect minute changes that cannot be inspected with visual and optical methods.