Abstract
Objective: to establish whether there is high-quality evidence to support that the use of techniques referred to as “traditional or conventional techniques” for the fabrication of complete dentures, including the use of facebow, results in improved devices as compared to those elaborated using the so-called “simplified” techniques.
Methods: a scoping review of the relevant literature was performed to search for high-quality clinical evidence to confirm or refute such hypothesis. Results: the evidence shows that the use of a “traditional” technique with peripheral sealing and functional impression has minimal impact and does not translate into increased rates of patient satisfaction, comfort, or improvement in masticatory efficiency.
Conclusions: the absence of conclusive findings that favor the use of “traditional” techniques, including semi-adjustable articulators with facebow, implies that “simplified” protocols should be considered as a valid alternative to produce full dentures, not only in teaching contexts, since their use is currently supported by solid quality scientific evidence.