Glossary

A random controlled trial, also called a randomized controlled trial (RCT), is a type of quantitative study that attempts to accurately assess the efficacy of one or more clinical interventions. In this study, participants are selected at random to receive one of many clinical interventions, one of which is usually a placebo or fake treatment. The placebo acts as the control against which to compare the results from the other participants who received the clinical intervention being tested. A random controlled trial is considered the most reliable method for testing the efficacy of new treatments because it prevents clinicians or researchers from being able to influence or skew the outcome of the trial in any way. They cannot choose who receives the placebo or who receives treatment and therefore cannot consciously or subconsciously select individuals most likely to benefit from the treatment, which would likely create false-positive results.

Rapid prototyping, also known as RP, is often used in CAD/CAM dentistry to manufacture dental prosthetics quickly, especially in dental offices that offer same-day restorations. The term refers to a group of techniques that are used to create a scale model of a patient’s oral anatomy using a 3D computer aided design program. Then, the construction of the model is done with a 3D printer, or computer aided manufacturing. Rapid prototyping can be used to create a wide array of dental prosthetics, including full or partial dentures, crowns, bridges, inlays and onlays, and more. In the past, prototyping was done by using a silicone material to take a mold of the patient’s mouth. Then, the desired material for the model is poured into the mold and allowed to set or harden. The mold material is removed and the model is complete. This process is often uncomfortable for the patient.