A technique to convert a 3D printed cast used in the fabrication of an interim implant-supported crown into a definitive cast capturing the acquired emergence profile

An esthetic peri-implant soft tissue contour is a critical element of the success of implant restorations in the esthetic zone. Once the optimal transmucosal soft tissue profile is formed with an interim crown, it needs to be accurately replicated on the master cast. However, the peri-implant soft tissues quickly collapse after the removal of the interim prosthesis. Therefore, special impression-making techniques are required to overcome this challenge and to accurately transfer the emergence profile to the definitive casts.

Several techniques were reported to customize the impression coping with either direct or indirect approaches. In a direct custom impression coping technique, the peri-implant soft tissues are reproduced by flowable composite [1]; Alternatively, the interim restoration itself is used as a customized impression coping to make the final impression [2]. In indirect custom impression coping techniques, an analog holder or the initial cast used to fabricate interim prosthesis is employed to replicate the emergence profile of interim restoration [3]. More recently, digital approaches have been proposed to received the emergence profile [4,5].