Clinical Performance and Patients’ Satisfaction of Digitally Versus Conventionally Fabricated Dentures: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Background/Objectives: Although digital workflows for complete denture fabrication are increasingly implemented in clinical practice, randomized controlled pilot trials directly comparing their clinical performance and patient satisfaction with conventional complete dentures (CCDs) remain scarce. This study aimed to compare patient satisfaction and clinical effectiveness between conventionally and digitally fabricated complete dentures (DCDs). Methods: In the present exploratory randomized controlled clinical pilot study using a cross-over design, 15 edentulous patients received both a conventionally fabricated and a digitally fabricated complete denture in randomized order. Each denture was worn for a three-month adaptation period. Patients were blinded to the fabrication method. Oral health-related quality of life was assessed using the OHIP-G49 questionnaire, and clinical performance was evaluated using standardized criteria at baseline, after three months with the first denture, and after three months with the second denture. Results: Both fabrication methods yielded satisfactory clinical outcomes in all patients. All 15 patients rated the DCDs as highly satisfactory, while 14 patients rated the CCDs equally favorably; one patient was unable to tolerate the conventional denture. DCDs demonstrated a slight but consistent advantage in oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) scores. Conclusions: Both conventional and digital complete dentures are clinically effective and well accepted by edentulous patients. However, DCDs offer a modest improvement in patient satisfaction and OHRQoL. Digitally fabricated complete dentures provide comparable clinical results to conventional methods while offering potential advantages in patient comfort and perceived quality of life. Given the exploratory nature of the study and the limited sample size, the results should be interpreted with caution and primarily serve to inform future, adequately powered randomized clinical trials.