Técnicas e materiais de impressão em prótese total lecionados em pós-graduações ibéricas

Objectives: To identify the current trends in impressions for conventional complete dentures made in postgraduate programs in Prosthodontics in the Iberian Peninsula, and to determine which are the most used techniques and materials. Methods: A survey was sent to directors of post-graduations in Prosthodontics in the Iberian Peninsula whose programs included the teaching and clinical rehabilitation of complete removable dentures. This survey comprised 24 questions divided into two parts: preliminary impressions and definitive impressions. Results: A total of 17 responses was obtained, corresponding to a response rate of 89.5%. Regarding preliminary impressions, most of the Portuguese post-graduations used standard metallic trays for edentulous cases (83.3%), while most of the Spanish ones used standard metallic trays (72.7%). The material of choice for the preliminary impressions was alginate. The technique most often used for definitive impressions was the functional technique in both countries. All post-graduations border molded the custom tray, and the modeling plastic impression compound was the material of choice. The impression material most used for definitive impressions was polyvinylsiloxane (46.7%). Half of the post-graduations affirmed having special considerations for flabby tissue. Most programs did not advise their patients not to wear their existing denture for at least 24 hours before the definitive impressions were made (82.4%). Conclusion: The techniques and materials used were mostly similar in Portugal and Spain. Also, most of the techniques and materials used in the Iberian Peninsula were similar to those in the postgraduate prosthodontic programs in the United States of America.