International Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences (ISSN 2226-9614)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

VOLUME 29(23) (2026)

Accuracy of Digital Workflows and Reference Strategies for Full-Arch Implant Prostheses in Completely Edentulous Patients: A Narrative Review

Rana Saeed Mousa, Ahmed Khaled Abo-Elfadl, Ingy Nouh

Department of fixed prosthodontics instead of Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

 Abstract

               Completely edentulous patients undergoing full-arch implant-supported prosthetic rehabilitation present significant challenges in achieving accurate transfer of implant positions and prosthetic information, particularly when using a fully digital workflow. The absence of stable and reproducible anatomical landmarks makes complete-arch intraoral scanning and accurate superimposition of digital datasets difficult, potentially affecting the accuracy, fit, and overall clinical performance of the resulting prosthesis prototypes. These challenges may become more pronounced when multiple digital datasets are acquired and subsequently aligned, as registration errors can influence the spatial relationship between the implant positions and the prosthetic surfaces. Double digital scanning (DDS) has been introduced as a method for integrating implant position with the contours and occlusal characteristics of an interim prosthesis, thereby facilitating the transfer of relevant prosthetic information into the digital workflow. However, the accuracy of this technique depends substantially on the reference strategy used for digital alignment and superimposition. Different approaches, including anatomical references such as palatal rugae, artificial reference markers such as glass beads, and customized scan bodies, have been proposed to improve the reliability and accuracy of digital superimposition. The effectiveness of these reference strategies may vary according to their geometric characteristics, distribution, detectability, and susceptibility to scanning errors. Therefore, systematic evaluation of these reference strategies and the software used for digital alignment is essential to determine their influence on registration accuracy and to establish accurate, reproducible, and predictable digital workflows for the fabrication of prosthesis prototypes in completely edentulous patients.

Keywords: Prosthesis, Double digital scanning, digital workflows

Full length article      *Corresponding Author, e-mail: Rana.saied.saad@gmail.com; ; Doi # https://doi.org/10.62877/30-IJCBS-26-29-23-30

Submitted: 12-08-2026; Accepted: 03-09-2026; Published: 04-09-2026