The literature on digital technologies for removable dental prostheses: A two-decade bibliometric analysis.

Background/purpose: The advent of digital technologies has significantly transformed the current dentistry, particularly in the fabrication of removable dental prostheses. A bibliometric analysis of literature may provide a direction of research hotspots and future trends in this field.

Materials and methods: Data were retrieved from Web of Science database for the analysis of literature on digital technologies for removable dental prostheses. Microsoft Excel was used for the descriptive statistics. VOSviewer was deployed for the analysis of published articles.

Results: A total of 457 published documents were identified from 2004 to 2023. The most frequently published article type was original article (n = 262, 57.33%). The number of annual publications and citations significantly increased from 2004 to 2023, respectively (P for trend <0.001). In addition, the significant increased number of publications and citations pre year affected by COVID-19 pandemic were noted (P < 0.002). Most articles were published in Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry (n = 141, 30.85%). The computer-aided design (CAD)/computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) and 3D printing technique were the frequent emphasized keywords in digital technologies for removable dental prostheses.

Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis revealed a growing research interest and technological progress in digital technologies for removable dental prostheses during past two decades. The enhancement of accuracy by CAD/CAM and 3D printing suggests a promising future for the application of these technologies in dental practice.