A novel digital workflow for immediately loaded full-arch rehabilitations: The Columbus Digital Bridge Protocol.

Abstract

Purpose: To present a novel digital workflow (the Columbus Digital Bridge Protocol) for immediately loaded full-arch rehabilitations, integrating digital technologies throughout diagnostic, surgical and prosthetic phases, with a focus on the application of intraoral photogrammetry scanning.

Materials and methods: The workflow presented in this article, successfully implemented in 14 patients, includes standardised clinical steps: digital diagnostic planning through matching of facial scans and CBCT data, surgical placement of four implants following tooth extraction, immediate post-surgical intraoral photogrammetry scanning using a three-step procedure (i.e., soft tissue registration, application of scan flags, final matching), and delivery of a 3D printed prototype followed by the final restoration.

Results: The preliminary results demonstrate that the Columbus Digital Bridge Protocol represents a promising novel digital workflow for immediate loading of full-arch implant rehabilitations. The protocol achieved optimal accuracy in prosthetic fit without requiring additional scans, plaster impressions or major prosthetic intraoral adjustments.

Conclusions: The present novel digital protocol may offer clinicians a predictable and efficient method for delivering immediately loaded full-arch rehabilitations while overcoming the traditional challenges associated with post-surgical impressions and ensuring passive prosthetic fit. The integration of photogrammetry with intraoral scanning technology appears to provide accurate implant position recording and soft tissue registration within a fully digital workflow including the simplified possibility of pre-/post-surgical overlapping to register the maxillomandibular relation.

Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare there are no conflicts of interest relating to this study.