Advances in Digital Prosthodontics and Restorative Dentistry: A Comprehensive Review of Contemporary Clinical Techniques
Digital prosthodontics, CAD/CAM, Digital dentistry, Additive manufacturing, Artificial intelligence
AuthorsAbstractThe field of prosthodontics and restorative dentistry has been revolutionized by the introduction of digital technologies, which provide new ways of performing diagnosis, planning and manufacturing procedures. This review gives an overview of the latest advances in modern digital prosthodontics including diagnostic systems, computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), additive manufacturing and novel restorative materials. Moreover, various clinical applications of digital workflows in fixed, implant-supported, removable and comprehensive oral rehabilitation prosthodontics and their impact on treatment predictability, esthetics and workflow optimization are discussed. The latest innovations like artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic prosthodontics, augmented reality and digital ecosystems based on cloud technologies are also evaluated in terms of their ability to support clinical decision making and personalized prosthodontic therapy. Recent evidence shows that digital workflows allow achieving higher treatment accuracy, efficiency, patient satisfaction and improved interdisciplinary communication; however, there are still some difficulties associated with high cost, specific technical requirements, standardization and clinical validation issues. Further technological development and clinical research will contribute to successful implementation of integrated digital workflows in dentistry. 1. Introduction Prosthodontics and restorative dentistry have seen a major revolution in the last twenty years due to the rapid development and incorporation of digital technology in both clinical and laboratory processes. Conventional prosthodontic treatments depended mainly on manual impressions, gypsum models, mechanical articulation, conventional waxing, and time-consuming lab processes. Although traditional methods have been effective clinically, they have been proven to be susceptible to technique sensitivity, procedural errors that accumulate along the process, extended treatment times, increased consumption of materials, and inconsistent results that greatly depend on the skill level of the clinician (Abduo & Rasaie, 2025). The need for precision, efficiency, aesthetics, and patient-oriented treatment plans has made the switch from conventional to digital more urgent than ever. The term 'digital dentistry' refers to the complete ecosystem of state-of-the-art technology that is used for data acquisition, virtual treatment planning, CAD and CAM processes and digital communication between clinicians, laboratories and patients. The introduction of this technology has led to a marked improvement in standardizing the workflows while avoiding many drawbacks of traditional methods. Modern-day workflows allow the clinicians to scan the teeth with high accuracy, maintain virtual records of the patient, carry out digital smile analysis, manufacture the restoration either by subtractive or additive manufacturing techniques and analyze the occlusion more accurately than ever before (Abduo & Rasaie, 2025). Hence, digital prosthodontics has •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ejprd.org- Published by Riset Publishing Services LLC.
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