Ensuring implant success

Despite digital progress, the impression remains the most important link between clinical and laboratory dental procedures and is coresponsible for the subsequent accuracy of fit of the final restoration. Mistakes that arise here cannot be corrected during subsequent stages and the precision fit of the prosthetic restoration is influenced by the summation of errors.

The dimensionally accurate three-dimensional reproduction of the oral structures, their surface characteristics and positions are the most important clinical criteria of an impression - especially when taking impressions of implants – because it is not possible to compensate for any inaccuracies of fit with implants, in the same way as it is with natural teeth, due to their osseointegration. Any stress occurring here is inevitably transferred via the implant to the surrounding tissue and is subsequently expressed in a range of distinctive clinical manifestations, such as a loosening of the abutment or peri-implant inflammatory processes and necrosis. Therefore, implant impressions in particular require standardised methods, in order to guarantee stress-free seating of the superstructure. Almost all modern impression materials, such as addition silicones and polyethers, are suitable for achieving a precise transfer impression. However, addition silicones are preferred to polyethers due to their superior physical values. Even the previously highly valued and advantageous properties of polyether (such as early hydrophilicity and snap-set) are now also found in modern addition silicones such as the impression materials from DMG.