Digital Analysis of the Denture Foundation Surface Area ratio of Maxillary and Mandibular Edentulous Arches: A Cross-sectional Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the denture foundation surface area of maxillary and mandibular completely edentulous arches and the ratio of the two arches across different genders using digital analysis. Materials and methods: The study involved 24 edentulous patients who underwent denture construction. After pouring the definitive impressions, the dental casts were scanned using a three-dimensional (3D) scanner to produce digital replicas. These digital models were then converted into stereolithography (STL) files and imported into MeshLab software for further analysis and measurement of the maxillary and mandibular arches’ surface areas. An independent <i>t-</i>test was used for comparison of the surface area of arches in both genders. Results: The mean value of the maxillary surface area was 36.85 ± 4.04 cm², while the mandibular arch was 24.51 ± 4.46 cm² and the difference between both arches was statistically significant (<i>p</i> < 0.001). The male subjects had a larger maxillary arch surface area (37.56 ± 4.35 cm²) than the female subjects (36.13 ± 3.76 cm²), although the difference was not statistically significant (<i>p</i> = 0.398). Additionally, the male individuals had a larger mandibular arch surface area (25.63 ± 4.2 cm²) than female subjects (23.4 ± 4.6 cm²), and the difference was insignificant (<i>p</i> = 0.23). The mean ratio of the maxillary to mandibular arch surface area was 1.54 ± 0.24. Female subjects had a somewhat higher ratio (1.59 ± 0.27) than male subjects (1.49 ± 0.24). Conclusion: The study’s findings show that male subjects have a larger surface area than female subjects in both arches; however, this difference was not statistically significant. The study utilized 3D scanning technology and software analysis to obtain precise surface area measurements and seems to be useful in the diagnosis and rehabilitation of traditional manual techniques. How to cite this article: Araby YA, Almutairi MS, Alharbi AA. Digital Analysis of the Denture Foundation Surface Area ratio of Maxillary and Mandibular Edentulous Arches: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Prosthodont Restor Dent 2024;14(3):161–164.