OBJECTIVES: Patients with stage IV periodontitis often require additional rehabilitation of the compromised dentition due to anatomical and functional consequences of tooth loss. Removable occlusal splints can be helpful in these advanced cases. This in-vitro study compared the accuracy and internal fit of removable occlusal splints fabricated by 3D-printing and milling from a standardized STL-file.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
No actionable change for audiologists — this study is outside the scope of audiology and concerns dental occlusal splint fabrication methods.
This article has no relevance to the audiology field; it is a dental/prosthodontics in-vitro study on occlusal splint manufacturing accuracy.
- 01In-vitro study comparing additive (3D printing) vs. subtractive (milling) digital workflows for occlusal splints.
- 02Target population was patients with stage IV periodontitis (severe gum disease).
- 03Primary focus is dimensional accuracy of the fabricated dental devices.
- 04Published in Clinical Oral Investigations (2026); entirely outside audiology scope.
- 05No hearing, audiology, or hearing-device content is present.
- PMID
- 42853434
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00784-026-07211-0.
- Journal
- Clinical Oral Investigations
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- na
- Population
- In-vitro models representing patients with stage IV periodontitis
- Intervention
- Additive digital workflow (3D printing) for occlusal stabilization splints
- Comparator
- Subtractive digital workflow (milling) for occlusal stabilization splints
Primary outcomes
Dimensional/fabrication accuracy of removable occlusal stabilization splints