Patients interested in Hybridge, please visit Hybridgeimplants.com
Patients, are you interested in Hybridge Dental Implants? Visit: Hybridgeimplants.com
Explore why precision down to the micron defines long-term success in full-arch implant dentistry. In this episode, Dr. Frank Lamar and Dr. Julian Conejo discuss how digital capture accuracy, trueness, and precision determine the strength, fit, and longevity of every Hybridge restoration.
Welcome back to The Lasting Smile Podcast, where clarity meets innovation in full-arch dentistry. In Episode 2 Part 1, Hybridge Founder Dr. Frank Lamar and Clinical Lab Director Dr. Julian Conejo turn their focus to one of the most critical yet misunderstood elements of digital workflows, accuracy.
From understanding microns and material tolerances to preventing long-term implant complications, this conversation highlights how precision in digital impressions translates directly into patient satisfaction, predictable outcomes, and the true meaning of a lasting smile.
In full-arch dentistry, precision determines performance. Every implant, screw channel, and prosthetic interface must align perfectly. As Dr. Lamar explains, “When you’re off by 40 microns, you’re off by the thickness of a hair, and that tension can compromise everything.”
Two key concepts govern digital accuracy:
Research shows that accuracy decreases as the distance between implants increases and as implant angulation varies. Longer spans and angled fixtures compound digital distortion, which is why scan strategy and technique matter so much.
4. The 100-Micron Rule
A clinically acceptable discrepancy for full-arch restorations is within 100 microns. Beyond that, fit issues may lead to strain, misalignment, or eventual implant complications. This threshold defines the upper limit of acceptable deviation in digital and analog workflows.
Even minute inaccuracies create tension across screw-retained restorations. When a prosthesis doesn’t seat perfectly, load distribution becomes uneven, overloading some implants while relieving others, which can result in prosthetic fractures or implant loss over time.
6. The Cost of Inaccuracy
Patients expect longevity and value from their investment. A restoration that fits inaccurately not only affects comfort and esthetics, it jeopardizes trust. As Dr. Lamar shares, “When a patient invests $20,000 in their smile, they expect precision, predictability, and permanence.”
Clinicians often recognize inaccuracy when gaps appear between the implant platform and the restoration, or when not all implants are fully seated. These subtle signs indicate tension, even if initial torque values appear acceptable.
8. The Physics of Microns
Forty microns, roughly the width of a single hair, can make or break a restoration’s passivity. These microscopic variances create measurable stress at the implant–abutment interface, which can magnify under functional loading and compromise long-term stability.
A truly lasting restoration depends on passivity, a state where no residual tension exists after screw tightening. Achieving that requires a workflow that prioritizes accuracy at every step, from scanning to framework design.
Accuracy isn’t just a technical goal, it’s the foundation of the Hybridge promise. By maintaining tight tolerances and controlling every variable, clinicians ensure restorations that function seamlessly, look natural, and last for years.
In full-arch implant dentistry, microns matter. Precision, trueness, and technique define the difference between short-term success and a truly lasting smile. At Hybridge, digital accuracy isn’t just a measurement it’s a mindset that drives every clinical and laboratory decision.
Dr. Frank Lamar is the founder of Hybridge and a pioneer in full-arch restorative dentistry.
Dr. Julian Conejo is Hybridge’s Clinical Lab Director and a prosthodontist specializing in digital workflows, implant accuracy, and prosthetic design.
