Creation of the dental virtual patients with dynamic occlusion and its application in esthetic dentistry

Abstract

Digital technology is gradually expanding its field and has a great influence on various fields of dentistry. Recently in digital dentistry, the importance of superimposing various 3-dimensional (3D) image data is emerging, in order to utilize gathered data effectively for diagnosis and prosthesis fabrication. Integrating data from facial scans, intraoral scans, and mandibular movement recordings can create a virtual patient. A virtual patient is formed by integrating digital 3D diagnostic data such as intraoral and extraoral soft tissues, residual dentition, and dynamic occlusion, and the results of prosthetic treatment can be evaluated virtually. The patients in this case report were a 37-year-old female whose chief complaint is that the appearance of the existing prosthesis was distorted and a 55-year-old female patient whose anterior prosthesis needed to be refabricated after the endodontic treatment. 3D facial scans were obtained from each patient, and the patient’s mandibular movements were recorded using ARCUS Digma 2 (KaVo Dental GmbH, Biberach an der Riss, Germany). The collected data were integrated on computer-aided design (CAD) software (Exocad dental CAD; exocad GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany) and transferred to a virtual articulator to create a digital virtual patient. The temporary fixed prostheses were designed, restored, and evaluated, and it was reflected into the final restorations. With the aid of the virtual dental patient, accuracy and predictability could be increased throughout treatment, simplifying the occlusal adjustment and clinical evaluation with improved esthetic outcomes. (J Korean Acad Prosthodont 2022;60:222-30)