Assessment of microbial adherence and patient satisfaction with conventional and digital 3D‐printed complete removable dentures: A crossover randomized controlled clinical trial

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to assess and compare the effect of material type on microbial colonization over time and patient satisfaction between 3D‐printed computer‐aided design and computer‐aided manufacturing (CAD‐CAM) and conventional dentures. Materials and Methods This crossover randomized controlled clinical trial included 11 completely edentulous patients, each receiving two types of complete dentures: conventional dentures (comparator group) and 3D‐printed CAD‐CAM dentures (intervention group). Patients were randomly assigned to begin with one set of dentures and then switched to the other after 3 months, with a washout period of 2 weeks. Microbiological assessments were conducted at three time points: at the time of denture insertion (T0), after 1 month (T1), and after 3 months (T2). Patient satisfaction was evaluated 3 months post‐insertion. Results Microbial counts were significantly higher in the comparator group than in the intervention group at T1 (3.87 ± 0.07 vs. 3.78 ± 0.09, p = 0.023) and T2 (5.04 ± 0.03 vs. 4.98 ± 0.04, p < 0.001), with no significant difference at baseline (T0, p = 0.392). Both groups showed progressive increases in microbial counts over time; however, the comparator group consistently exhibited higher counts. Patient satisfaction was slightly higher in the intervention group (59 [57–62]) compared with the comparator group (58 [56–61]), although the difference was not statistically significant ( p = 0.230). Conclusion The 3D‐printed CAD‐CAM dentures exhibited significantly lower microbial counts than conventional dentures throughout the 3 months. Additionally, patient satisfaction was slightly higher with 3D‐printed dentures; however, the difference was not statistically significant.