{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,30]],"date-time":"2026-08-30T10:19:46Z","timestamp":1788085186848,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,19]],"date-time":"2026-01-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768780800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"\u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Three-dimensional (3D) facial scanning is an objective, non-invasive method for quantifying facial soft-tissue changes following complete denture (CD) rehabilitation. Reliable quantification of these changes in completely edentulous patients can support more predictable aesthetic and functional outcomes. Methods: This prospective before\u2013after observational study included 30 completely edentulous patients (12 men, 18 women; age 48\u201387 years; mean \u00b1 SD: 67.8 \u00b1 9.2 years) who received new maxillary and mandibular CDs. Structured-light 3D facial scans were obtained at baseline (edentulous, without dentures) and post-rehabilitation with dentures in place, in relaxed posture (RP) and maximal intercuspation (MI). Sixty-five validated anthropometric landmarks were analyzed. Primary outcomes were lower facial height (Sn-Gn), nasolabial angle (Cm-Sn-Ls), lower facial convexity (Ls-Li-Pg), mouth width (Ch-Ch), and upper vermilion height (Ls-Sto). Pre\u2013post changes were assessed using paired-sample tests (p &lt; 0.05). Results: Thirty-four of 65 parameters (52.3%) demonstrated significant post-treatment changes (p &lt; 0.05), mainly in the perioral and lower facial regions. The reported parameters were selected due to their clinical relevance in evaluating perioral support and facial profile changes after complete denture treatment. In RP, upper lip thickness increased from 3.69 \u00b1 0.97 mm to 4.96 \u00b1 1.11 mm (\u0394 = +1.27 mm; p &lt; 0.0001) and lower lip thickness from 6.18 \u00b1 2.69 mm to 7.36 \u00b1 1.52 mm (\u0394 = +1.18 mm; p = 0.0408). The nasolabial angle decreased from 116.08 \u00b1 9.17\u00b0 to 108.06 \u00b1 9.56\u00b0 (\u0394 = \u22128.02\u00b0; p = 0.0016). In MI, mouth width increased from 55.72 \u00b1 3.43 mm to 57.97 \u00b1 3.13 mm (\u0394 = +2.25 mm; p = 0.0102). Conclusions: Complete denture rehabilitation produces measurable, clinically relevant improvements in facial soft-tissue morphology in completely edentulous patients, particularly affecting lip support, mouth width, and the nasolabial profile. Structured-light 3D facial scanning provides a reproducible approach to objective outcome assessment and may support individualized denture design.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15020796","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T09:24:34Z","timestamp":1768901074000},"page":"796","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Quantitative 3D Evaluation of Facial Soft Tissue Modifications Following Complete Denture Treatment in Edentulous Patients: A Prospective Before\u2013After Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-1851-9623","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Isabela","family":"Toser","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Prosthodontics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Victor Babes, B-dul Revolutiei 1989, No. 9, 300580 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"Doctoral School, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4837-2693","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ioana","family":"Veja","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dental Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, \u201cVasile Goldi\u0219\u201d Western University of Arad, 310025 Arad, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Adrian","family":"C\u00e2ndea","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Prosthodontics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Victor Babes, B-dul Revolutiei 1989, No. 9, 300580 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"TADERP Research Center, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8326-5519","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrei-Bogdan","family":"Faur","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Prosthodontics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Victor Babes, B-dul Revolutiei 1989, No. 9, 300580 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"Doctoral School, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"TADERP Research Center, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2580-2432","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"George Dumitru","family":"Constantin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Discipline of Clinical Practical Skills, Department I Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Victor Babe\u0219 University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timi\u0219oara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-9608-1784","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anca-Elena","family":"Anghel-Lorinti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Prosthodontics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Victor Babes, B-dul Revolutiei 1989, No. 9, 300580 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"Doctoral School, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6835-5436","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Anca","family":"Jiv\u0103nescu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Prosthodontics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Victor Babes, B-dul Revolutiei 1989, No. 9, 300580 Timisoara, Romania"},{"name":"TADERP Research Center, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"332","DOI":"10.1097\/PRS.0b013e3181c2a685","article-title":"Aging of the mandible and its aesthetic implications","volume":"125","author":"Shaw","year":"2010","journal-title":"Plast. 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