Patients interested in Hybridge, please visit Hybridgeimplants.com
Patients, are you interested in Hybridge Dental Implants? Visit: Hybridgeimplants.com
From analog impressions to cutting-edge photogrammetry, precision is redefining the way clinicians capture implant positions in full-arch dentistry. In this episode, Dr. Frank Lamar and Dr. Julian Conejo break down the four major impression technologies — explaining how each impacts accuracy, workflow, and long-term restorative success.
Welcome back to The Lasting Smile Podcast, where clarity meets innovation in full-arch dentistry. In Episode 2 Part 2, Hybridge Founder Dr. Frank Lamar and Clinical Lab Director Dr. Julian Conejo continue their deep dive into digital impression techniques.
They explore the evolution of implant capture, from analog impressions to intraoral scanning, photogrammetry, and grammetry. Explaining how accuracy, material properties, and technology integration shape the future of full-arch workflows.
Every capture method; analog, intraoral scanning, photogrammetry, and grammetry, seeks the same objective: precise transfer of implant position. Even small discrepancies can create strain and compromise long-term implant success, making accuracy the foundation of every workflow.
The open-tray analog impression remains a tried-and-true method, but its accuracy averages around 80 microns. While reliable for decades, it’s highly technique-sensitive and limited by material handling and stone model expansion, introducing potential error across the arch.
Dr. Lamar explains how even slight misfits create stress within the prosthetic framework. That hidden tension translates into screw loosening, component fractures, and implant failures over time, often years after delivery. Precision and passivity are non-negotiable for true longevity.
Different materials tolerate misfit differently.
Intraoral scanners such as Trios and CEREC PrimeScan use confocal microscopy to achieve roughly 50-micron accuracy. These scanners streamline workflows but still fall short of the trueness required for large-span, full-arch prosthetics. They excel for crowns, bridges, and smaller implant cases.
Photogrammetry has emerged as the most accurate implant capture system available today. It records the exact X, Y, and Z coordinates of each implant with 10–20 micron accuracy. Originally developed for dental labs, the technology now integrates chairside, allowing clinicians to capture data directly at surgery.
Photogrammetry captures implant coordinates, but clinicians still need intraoral scans to record soft tissues, occlusion, and facial data. The two technologies complement each other, combining geometric precision with anatomical context for complete case documentation.
Grammetry blends digital scanning with analog splinting. By splinting scan posts intraorally and scanning them extraorally, clinicians can capture implant data in a dry, stable environment. This hybrid approach increases accuracy when photogrammetry isn’t available, a cost-effective middle ground for many practices.
For clinicians exploring photogrammetry, hybrid systems like the Shining 3D Elite offer affordability and versatility. These units function as both an intraoral scanner and a photogrammetry device, supporting everything from single crowns to full-arch cases with a single piece of equipment.
Regardless of the technology, one truth remains constant: passivity matters. Accurate capture ensures that prosthetics seat tension-free, components remain stable, and implants last. As Dr. Lamar summarizes, “Pressure breeds complications and that’s contrary to a lasting smile.”
Digital technology continues to transform full-arch dentistry, but the principle remains the same: precision equals longevity. From analog to photogrammetry, each evolution has brought clinicians closer to perfect passivity, improved patient comfort, and true restorative predictability.
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 design, and advanced restorative technologies.
