Copy Denture: The General Overview Among Dentists And Dental Technologists In Malaysia

Abstract

Copy denture technique is a classic technique for construction of a new denture, based on the existing denture using a replica. This technique helps elderly population in terms of adaptation to a new denture. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and practice of copy denture technique among dentists and dental technologists in Malaysia. Two sets of a pre-tested questionnaire was distributed to participants who attended copy denture workshop. The participants were instructed to answer the questionnaires before and after the seminar. A total of 97 responses were collected and only 77 (79.4%) have given a valid feedbacks. The results showed that eventhough 54.5% (n=42) participants had more than 5 years of clinical experiences, 42.9% (n=33) claimed to have limited knowledge in this technique prior to the seminar and 55.9% (n=43) presented with positive attitude towards copy denture. Majority of the participants (74.1%) were uncertain and did not have the skills to perform the copy denture technique. However, following workshop, their attitude towards copy denture increased (+15.6%) and the mean score value was statistically significance (p < 0.005). In conclusion, awareness and practice on copy denture technique should be encouraged to ensure patient’s benefits when replacement denture are required.