Fabricating a crown under an existing removable partial denture with impression scanning and CAD-CAM technology

Area of Science:

• Dental prosthetics
• Digital dentistry
• Removable partial dentures

Background:

• Retrofitting crowns onto existing removable partial dentures (RPDs) presents significant clinical challenges.
• Intraoral scanners (IOSs) offer a digital solution but require substantial investment.
• Many clinicians continue to rely on conventional impression techniques due to cost and accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a hybrid approach for fabricating a new crown under an RPD.
• To demonstrate a method that integrates conventional and digital techniques.
• To provide an alternative to IOS-based crown fabrication for RPD cases.

Main Methods:

• A combined conventional and digital workflow was employed.
• Detailed steps for impressioning and crown fabrication are outlined.
• The technique avoids the use of intraoral scanners (IOSs).

Main Results:

• The described combined approach successfully facilitated the fabrication of a new crown.
• The method integrates traditional impression methods with digital processing.
• Clinical outcomes demonstrate the feasibility of the technique without IOS.

Conclusions:

• A combined conventional and digital technique offers a viable alternative for crown fabrication under RPDs.
• This approach addresses the cost barrier associated with intraoral scanners (IOSs).
• The method provides a practical solution for clinicians utilizing conventional techniques.