Digital Impression Techniques in Dental Prosthodontics
Summary
Digital impression techniques have transformed the practice of prosthodontics by replacing traditional elastomeric materials and plaster models with optical scanning devices and virtual workflows. At the core of this transformation are intraoral scanners (IOSs), which capture three-dimensional data of dental arches, prepared teeth and implant scanbodies in a matter of seconds. These devices employ varied light-projection and image-capture strategies, combined with real-time stitching algorithms, to generate detailed digital models that can be immediately integrated into computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems. The result is an end-to-end digital pathway that streamlines communication between clinician and laboratory, reduces patient discomfort, and shortens turnaround times for crown, bridge and full-arch restorations. Beyond mere model acquisition, digital impressions now support diagnostic functions such as quantitative monitoring of tooth wear, detection of carious lesions via fluorescence or near-infrared imaging, and advanced segmentation for orthodontic planning. Nevertheless, their accuracy may vary according to arch type, clinical scenario and the choice of scanner, with long-span or edentulous foundations posing the greatest challenges. Current research focuses on enhancing trueness and precision through refined scanning protocols, improving interoperability via open data standards, expanding software capabilities for virtual articulators and smile design, and integrating digital models into guided implant surgery. As hardware footprints shrink and software intelligence grows, digital impressions are poised to become the universal standard in fixed and implant prosthodontics worldwide.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Digital Impression Techniques in Dental Prosthodontics publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in digital impression techniques in dental prosthodontics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Intraoral scanner (IOS): A handheld device that captures the geometry of teeth and soft tissues to generate a digital impression.
Trueness: The degree to which a digital impression matches the actual dimensions of the scanned object.
Precision: The consistency of repeated scans under identical conditions, expressed as variation between datasets.
Scanbody: A standardised marker attached to an implant analogue to facilitate accurate digital capture of implant position.
Digital impression: A virtual dataset representing the surfaces of teeth or implants, replacing physical moulds.
References
- Recent Advances in Intraoral Scanners. Journal of Dental Research (2024).
- Evaluation of the accuracy of intraoral scanners for complete-arch scanning: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Journal of Dentistry (2023).
- Comparison of digital and conventional impression techniques: evaluation of patients’ perception, treatment comfort, effectiveness and clinical outcomes. BMC Oral Health (2014).
- The complete digital workflow in fixed prosthodontics: a systematic review. BMC Oral Health (2017).
- Intraoral Scanner Technologies: A Review to Make a Successful Impression. Journal of Healthcare Engineering (2017).
- Trueness of 12 intraoral scanners in the full-arch implant impression: a comparative in vitro study. BMC Oral Health (2020).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.