Digital Workflow in Implant Treatment Planning For Terminal Dentition Patients

Abstract

Treatment planning for the transition of patients from terminal dentition to full-arch implant rehabilitation poses challenges. Such challenges pertain to achieving the new orientation of the occlusal and esthetic plane as well as the change of vertical dimension of occlusion (VDO), while the fixed provisionalization using a digital workflow still tends to be considered complex and hard to perform. This article illustrates step-by-step the utilization of a digital workflow protocol in the treatment planning for rehabilitation of terminal dentition patients, simplifying the smile design and ensuring that fixed provisionalization serves both functional and esthetic requirements. This protocol includes facially driven, three-dimensional (3D) digital smile design and chairside mock-up restoration workflows that enable prosthetically driven assessment prior to implant treatment planning and 3D printing of surgical templates and prefabricated interim prostheses, which can predictably reduce chairside time and adjustments at the surgical and fixed provisionalization appointment.

Keywords: 3D printing; Digital implant planning; alveoloplasty; digital dentistry; digital smile design; digital workflow; failing dentition; guided surgery; implant rehabilitation; mock-up; terminal dentition.