In-house dental lab-based cranial prosthesis fabrication: a technical note

Cranial prostheses are frequently required for patients with cranial defects secondary to trauma, decompressive craniectomy, or other pathologies. When the resected or craniotomized bone cannot be reused, cranioplasty with artificial materials offers both aesthetic and protective benefits. However, high-end custom-made options, like polyether ether ketone or titanium prostheses, are expensive and not widely available. Heat-cured polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prostheses are generally preferred over their cold-cured counterparts. In-house dental laboratories can provide a cost-effective and practical solution by employing a lost-wax technique akin to denture fabrication, utilizing a three-dimensional printed custom open mold. Fabricating large heatcured PMMA cranioplasts presents certain challenges, such as the need for large flasks and potential porosity. These can be overcome by using a large stainless steel container (a tiffin box) and M-Seal epoxy to ensure an airtight curing process. This method can be easily adopted by standard dental laboratories. At our center, four patients have successfully fitted with cranioplasty prostheses produced using this technique. Even though the patients are outside of the scope of this technical note all of them indicated high satisfaction, and no complications were reported. This straightforward approach demonstrates that in-house, heat-cured PMMA cranioplasts can represent a viable, cost-effective option for cranial reconstruction.