When Traditional Impressions Prevail

Intraoral scanners have transformed lab work: faster, more precise, no model transport. But not in every case.

Almost every clinician who has worked with a scanner for several years knows situations where they consciously revert to silicone impressions — not due to a lack of scanning skills, but because the impression delivers a better outcome in that specific case.

Limitations of Digital Scans

Cost of entry. An intraoral scanner costs PLN 80,000–150,000 including service and training. For a clinic with a low volume of prosthetic cases, return on investment takes years.

Learning curve. Scanning is a skill mastered over months. During this time, analog impressions may yield more reproducible results.

Equipment failure. If the scanner breaks down, the clinic waits. Silicone impressions have no downtime.

Scanning artifacts. Double contours, gaps in scans, reference errors – in difficult cases, the scanner has limitations that impressions do not.

Cases where Traditional Impressions are Superior

Clinical Situation	Why Impressions Win
Complete Denture	A functional impression records soft tissue relationships, which intraoral scans often miss
Preparation margin > 3 mm subgingival	Gingival retraction for scanning is challenging — an impression with a retractor provides a cleaner depiction
Patient with a strong gag reflex	In difficult cases, an impression can be faster to take
Large bridges (4+ units)	Long-span scans have a higher risk of accumulating geometric errors
Scanner failure	Impressions as an emergency solution — always available

Hybrid Workflow

The best-performing clinics and laboratories combine both approaches:

• Scan for standard cases — crowns, bridges up to 3 units, inlays, implants
• Traditional impression when equipment fails, the margin is very subgingival, the patient cannot tolerate scanning, or the case involves a complete denture
• Physical model from impression + model scanning when the laboratory requires a physical reference for manual work

It's not an either-or choice. It's about selecting the right tool for the case.

Will intraoral scanning completely replace traditional impressions?

Not in every case. Scans are better for standard crowns, bridges, and implants. Traditional impressions remain the standard for complete dentures and preparations with very deep margins.

Can complete dentures be fabricated from an intraoral scan?

Yes, but the protocol is complex. Many laboratories still prefer an anatomic impression with functional pressure.

How long does it take to learn intraoral scanning?

About a month to reach an acceptable level. Full mastery requires 3–6 months of clinical practice.