COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF OCCLUSAL CONTACTS IN THREE UNIT FIXED PARTIAL DENTURE PROSTHESIS FABRICATED WITH & WITHOUT FACEBOW TRANSFER –IN VIVO STUDY

Abstract

The utility of facebow might reduce the occurrence of occlusal interferences in fabrication of three unit fixed prosthesis. There is a lack of data regarding the clinical usefulness of facebow in fixed prosthesis fabrication.
The purpose of this clinical trial was to study and compare the occlusal interferences in three unit fixed prosthesis fabricated with and without facebow transfer.
15 participants satisfying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected in this clinical trial. For each participant, 2 pair of three unit fixed prosthesis were fabricated. Prosthesis were fabricated one with and other without facebow transfer. The treatment involved single operator and single technician to minimize the error if any. After fabrication, the prosthesis were evaluated on the basis of the occlusal contacts and interferences of the three unit fixed prosthesis using a 40um articulating paper. The prosthesis with better occlusal contacts was cemented and the results were evaluated using chi square test.
Nine out of 15 three unit fixed partial denture prosthesis fabricated using facebow transfer had reduced incidence of occlusal interferences. 6 out of 15 prosthesis fabricated without facebow transfer had reduced incidence of occlusal interferences. The results were evaluated using chi square test which was highly significant. (P>1), the three unit fixed prosthesis fabricated with facebow transfer had reduced no. of occlusal interferences.
Taking into consideration of the complex and multiphase study design of the study with a finite number of participants and one specific arbitrary face-bow, the following result could be drawn as there is significant difference in three unit fixed partial denture prosthesis fabricated by the use of the arbitrary face-bow compared to a mean setting as compared to three unit fixed partial denture prosthesis fabricated without facebow transfer. The three unit fixed partial denture prosthesis fabricated with facebow transfer yields a better prosthesis and minimizes the harmful occlusal interferences as compared to the three unit fixed prosthesis fabricated without facebow transfer.
Evidence based dentistry is needed to asses and abolish the unnecessary steps in clinical dentistry. Facebow is one such step which has been questioned for long by many clinicians and there is lack if clinical trials with its use in fixed prosthodontics. This study is to evaluated the importance of use of facebow transfer in fabrication of three unit fixed prosthesis.