Reverse impression technique: A fully digital protocol for the fabrication of the definitive fixed prosthesis for completely edentulous patients.

Abstract

In complete arch implant rehabilitation, one of the greatest difficulties still encountered in the digital workflow is the deviation of the implant position during intraoral scanner (IOS) data acquisition. As a result, the passivity of a definitive prosthesis fabricated using IOS data might be compromised. Thus, an implant position verification method is essential, either digitally or conventionally executed. A fully digital protocol for the fabrication of the definitive fixed prosthesis for completely edentulous patients, without the interference of any conventional step within the digital process, is presented. For the verification of the captured position of the scan-bodies, novel scan analogs were connected to the interim prosthesis extraorally and scanned. The virtual superimposition of the interim prosthesis intraorally with the same prosthesis extraorally served as a verification device for the position of the implants.