Digital workflow for fabricating an implant-supported overdenture with the custom disk method.

Abstract

Although methods have been developed to fabricate complete digital dentures, a digital workflow of fabrication methods for complete dentures with metal frameworks such as implant overdentures has not yet been established. The purpose of this dental technique article was to provide a comprehensive description of implant overdenture fabrication techniques using a digital workflow originally devised by applying the custom disk method. In this method, the custom disk was made of resin and contained prefabricated artificial teeth. Both the denture base and the artificial teeth in the custom disk were milled together. This described technique focuses on a 4-implant-supported overdenture with metal reinforcement for an edentulous maxilla. The aim was to establish a standard that can be widely adopted not only for implant overdentures but also for complete dentures that contain a metal framework. Advantages of this technique include that it enables the application of the custom disk method to the fabrication of implant overdentures with a metal framework as a reinforcement. In this technique, a metal framework is integrated into a resin-based complete denture fabricated by using the custom disk method, providing a better fit of the denture base and precise positioning of the artificial teeth.