Digital approach to assessing the 3-dimensional misfit of fixed dental prostheses

The silicone replica technique has been used for determining the fit accuracy of fixed dental prostheses. Because this technique is performed manually with 2-dimensional evaluations, it is prone to methodological error and yields inadequate information. The application of computer-aided image analysis reduces errors and facilitates 3-dimensional discrepancy measurements. This article describes a method of visualizing and quantifying the fit discrepancy of fixed dental prostheses by digitizing a misfit space replica and using computer-aided spatial analysis.