Accuracy of single-unit ceramic crown fabrication after digital versus conventional impressions: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

In the present era when interest in digital dentistry is increasing, the published literature is still confusing about whether digital impression provides similar accuracy as provided by a conventional impression for the fabrication of a single-unit ceramic crown. The aim of the study was to systematically review the in vivo studies comparing marginal, axial, and occlusal fit of single-unit ceramic crowns fabricated after digital impressions with the ones fabricated after conventional impressions. The PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane online databases were searched for studies comparing the digital impression technique with the conventional technique for single-unit ceramic crowns. Data extraction was done for the year of publication, type of study, country, number of patients, impression system (intraoral scanner [IOS] or conventional impression), marginal fit, axial fit, and occlusal fit. Ten studies were included for meta-analysis regarding the discrepancy in marginal fit, axial fit, and occlusal fit. The digital impression proved to be better than the conventional impression. The mean difference for marginal fit was 6.54 μm (heterogeneity P < 0.00001, I² = 93%), for axial fit 24.69 μm (heterogeneity P = 0.34, I² = 11%), and for occlusal fit 6.99 μm (heterogeneity P = 0.03, I² = 59%). The results of meta-analyses suggest that there is no significant difference between the impression systems (marginally favoring digital impression). The digital impression technique provided better marginal and internal fit of single-unit ceramic crowns than the conventional impression technique. The digital workflow using IOS provided a clinically acceptable marginal fit for single-unit crowns.