Dentistry has experienced a decisive shift, from analog dentures requiring seven appointments to fully digital solutions completed in as few as three. According to Dr. Steven Glassman, the evolution isn’t just about technology; it’s about collaboration, precision, and the optimization of patient care.
In his webinar “From Traditional Dentures to Innovative All-on-X Solutions: Partnering with Dental Labs for Success,” Dr. Glassman outlines the protocols, tech stack, and lab relationships that drive today’s most efficient, esthetic, and patient-satisfying removable workflows.
“With the right lab partner and scanner, you can reimagine everything from backup dentures to full-arch transformations.”
The future of prosthetics is faster, wiser, and more connected than ever. Here’s how.
Remember seven appointments for one set of dentures? Traditional workflows, impressions, custom trays, wax rims, try-ins, and bite adjustments are time-consuming and fraught with inconsistencies. They also increase post-op adjustments and patient frustration.
“We’re just praying they retire to Florida,” joked Dr. Gluskin about his analog denture patients.
Digital dentures offer faster workflows, fewer appointments, and superior fit:
3 Visits Instead of 7+
Improved occlusion accuracy
Design files stored in the cloud (hello, backup dentures)
Integration with facial scanning and CBCT
Dramatically fewer adjustments
“Patients crack a denture and ask what to do, I just reprint it in 40 minutes from the cloud.”
| Step | Analog | Digital |
|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Impressions | Custom trays + multiple visits | Scanning the existing denture or arch |
| Bite Registration | Wax rims | CR/CO bite with leaf gauge or scan |
| Try-in | Multiple rounds, poor retention | 3D printed try-in, millimeter-level fit |
| Finalization | Adjustments galore | Minimal adjustments, higher precision |
“Digital dentures are backed by research: less chair time, more comfort, better retention.”
Ideal for patients with worn but well-fitting dentures. Scan, copy, and 3D print or mill a new version. Add value by digitizing as an emergency backup.
Patients with cracked, worn, or ill-fitting dentures can benefit from re-scanned models, minor occlusion changes, and new designs, sometimes in just two visits.
Scan before extractions and deliver the digital design immediately post-op. Follow up with soft relines and new digital impressions after healing.
Every denture patient is a future implant candidate. Use digital workflows to build a roadmap toward implant-retained or fixed prosthetics.
Traditional intraoral scanners struggle with edentulous arches; there’s no reliable “landmarking.”
Enter: iTero Lumina, with Multi-Directional Capture (MDC) technology.
6-camera array vs. 1-camera competitors
50% smaller, 45% lighter wand
3x larger field of view
Captures palate and undercuts seamlessly
25mm working distance for easier arch-wide capture
No need for blue spray or re-scanning landmarks
“With Lumina, you don’t need tricks like zinc oxide spray. It just works, even on fully edentulous arches.”
An upper West Side doorman with a cracked denture receives a digital reline and a new prosthetic, with improved aesthetics and retention, within days. Implant planning is discussed for future care.
Alexa, a young woman undergoing chemotherapy, needed immediate extractions and dentures. Her scanned partial was used to fabricate a printed interim denture. Post-healing, the workflow delivered a custom-fitted replacement requiring no adjustments. Alexa is now cancer-free, smiling, and still wearing that denture, with no issues, years later.
Luda started with a failing dentition and overdentures in 2017. In 2024, she returned for an All-on-X. Thanks to iTero Lumina, her multi-unit scan bodies were captured in under 2 minutes. Her final screw-retained zirconia bridge was delivered with exceptional fit and esthetics.
Multiple peer-reviewed studies have confirmed:
Superior accuracy and consistency compared to four leading scanners
Comparable to photogrammetry for full-arch implant scanning
No need for separate soft-tissue scans or analog impressions
Scan. Design. Print. Done. That’s the new workflow.
Align’s integration with exocad Smile Creator and lab platforms allows:
Real-time collaboration on occlusion, tooth display, and vertical changes
Remote approvals with WebView links
Seamless back-and-forth between practice and lab
Apps like Clone now enable 3D facial scans on mobile devices. Combine that with intraoral data to help truly facially driven smile design, even for removable prosthetics.
Digital dentures aren’t just for “techie” dentists or large DSOs. They’re an accessible upgrade for any general practitioner or prosthodontist looking to:
Reduce appointment fatigue
Improve patient satisfaction
Increase case acceptance
Build implant-ready treatment pipelines
The future of removable prosthetics is not just digital, it’s faster, more predictable, and more profitable. With tools such as iTero Lumina and 3D printing, dentists can deliver high-quality dentures and All-on-X restorations with fewer appointments and improved outcomes.
Don’t let outdated workflows slow you down. Embrace the evolution, your patients (and your schedule) will thank you.