Digital versus traditional workflows for fabrication of implant-supported rehabilitation: A systematic review

Conventional analog methods were extensively followed for creating implant-supported prostheses. The advent of digital technologies has replaced these methods. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the clinical efficiency and patient acceptance associated with digital and traditional workflows in implant-supported rehabilitation. Multiple electronic databases were searched for studies published between 2010 and mid-2023. The protocol number of the study was PROSPERO CRD CRD42023471411. Two independent reviewers selected studies, evaluated data, and assessed the risk of bias. A fixed effect model was used for meta-analysis, and summary effects were calculated by odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI. The pooled values for included studies in the meta-analysis were as follows: taste (-4.38 [-6.56, -2.20]), anxiety (-0.83 [-1.57, -0.10]), pain (-1.35 [-2.75, 0.05]), and discomfort (-1.28 [-3.23, 0.67]), indicating reduced complaints for these domains with digital methods (p < 0.05). The digital techniques provided better patient satisfaction and time efficiency. Digital workflows in implant-supported rehabilitation showed better patient satisfaction and reduced procedural discomfort, substantiating a paradigm shift towards digital methodologies.