Conventional versus Digital Impressions for Full Arch Screw-Retained Maxillary Rehabilitations: A Randomized Clinical...

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Prosthodontics
• Digital Dentistry

Background:

• Full-arch maxillary rehabilitations are complex dental procedures.
• Comparing conventional and digital impression techniques is crucial for optimizing treatment workflows.
• Immediate loading of dental implants offers functional benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy and accuracy of conventional versus digital impressions for full-arch maxillary implant rehabilitations.
• To evaluate clinical and radiological outcomes, including prosthetic maintenance and bone levels.
• To assess the time efficiency of digital impression procedures.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial comparing conventional impression group (CIG) and digital impression group (DIG).
• Patients received screw-retained, immediately loaded full-arch maxillary prostheses supported by six implants.
• Digital radiography assessed framework-implant connection accuracy, voids, and bone levels.

Main Results:

• 100% fixture and prosthetic survival rate observed in both groups.
• Digital impressions significantly reduced procedure time (p < 0.05).
• No statistically significant differences in marginal bone loss between groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Intraoral scanners (IOS) are accurate and predictable for full-arch implant rehabilitations.
• Digital impressions offer a reliable alternative to conventional methods, ensuring successful marginal fit.
• The digital workflow demonstrates satisfactory clinical and radiological predictability.