Guidelines for Digital Interocclusal Records: Part 2 – Edentulous Patients

Digital strategies for interocclusal records in edentulous patients aim to record stable jaw relations by scanning the buccal surfaces of an interocclusal device that is subsequently aligned to the edentulous arches. Yet, predictability remains limited by the lack of stable jaw positions and rigid references for alignment. This narrative reviews current evidence and proposes various digital registration strategies, whereby virtual datasets are aligned within a single coordinate system and patient-relevant references, such as occlusal vertical dimension and centric relations, are incorporated. These strategies are organized by clinical scenarios: no pre-existing prosthesis, existing complete removable dentures, pre-surgical records, and existing fixed implant-supported restorations. Accuracy improves as the registration shifts from removable to fixed interocclusal devices, and stable references have a bigger impact than the choice of surface-registration algorithm. A concise option tree translates these principles into scenario-specific pathways. Evidence gaps remain, with few clinical studies that assess and compare digital interocclusal records with conventional workflows in edentulous patients. Due to the challenges in obtaining accurate occlusal registrations in both digital and conventional workflows, the most reliable pathway includes a physical interocclusal scanning device that supplies stable geometry for digital registration, followed by verification with a prototype try-in.