This guide explains the main ways implant position is captured, what recent studies report, and what clinicians and dental laboratories can ask when choosing a workflow.

Why Implant Position Matters

The laboratory builds the framework from a record of implant positions. If the record differs from the mouth, the framework may not seat evenly, and the screws end up holding it down instead of simply securing it.

A 2026 Applied Sciences review links framework misfit to uneven screw preload and reports screw loosening in roughly 5% to 15% of full-arch restorations.

Three Ways to Capture Implant Position
Conventional splinted impression: Impression copings are joined together and recorded in impression material, then poured into a cast
Intraoral scanning: A scanner records scan bodies attached to the implants and the surrounding tissue
Photogrammetry: A camera system measures optical markers attached to the implants and calculates position from fixed geometry

Each method has trade-offs in cost, speed and the amount of soft-tissue detail it records.

What the Studies Report

A 2021 BMC Oral Health study compared the three approaches. Photogrammetry showed the lowest trueness deviation at 24.45 µm, followed by splinted conventional impressions at 28.70 µm and intraoral scanning alone at 43.45 µm. These are results from a single study, and accuracy varies with technique, hardware and case type.

A 2025 narrative review in the Australian Dental Journal screened 52 publications on implant verification jigs. It concluded that selective use of a verification jig before the definitive prosthesis can reduce the likelihood of misfit. It also noted that photogrammetry-based systems may reduce or remove the need for a conventional jig in workflows built around horizontal scan bodies.

Where Verification Fits

Verification is a second check on the first record. Scannable verification devices, such as the OPTISPLINT® verification jig from Digital Arches, join scan bodies into one unit so the position can be confirmed before fabrication begins.

No single method removes error entirely. The practical aim is to catch a discrepancy while it is still cheap to fix.

Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Workflow
Which capture method fits our case mix, and how often do we need a second check?
How is the record verified before the framework is fabricated?
What does the laboratory consider an acceptable fit, and how is that documented?
What happens if a gap appears at try-in, and who owns the correction?
Does the order include scan data, implant system, abutment details and clinical intent?

Published guidance does not set one universal tolerance for misfit, so agreeing on a standard between clinic and laboratory matters.

About Digital Arches

Digital Arches, the maker of OPTISPLINT® and ARCHTRACER™, specializes in digital dental solutions focused on full-arch restorations. The company aims to give clinicians and dental laboratories the tools they need to provide exceptional care. Learn more about digital full-arch implant solutions at digitalarches.com.

Media Contact

Digital Arches LLC 17197 Newhope Street, Ste. J, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 Phone: 657-201-8381 Email: [email protected]