Guidelines for Digital Interocclusal Records: Part 1 – Dentate and Partially Dentate Patients

Accurate digital interocclusal registration is fundamental to achieving predictable occlusal relationships in prosthodontic rehabilitation. While digital workflows avoid many material-based limitations of conventional bite records, their accuracy depends on scanner behaviour, scan strategy, and the availability of stable occlusal landmarks. Evidence shows that fully dentate arches can achieve high trueness, whereas accuracy progressively decreases with increasing edentulous span. This article synthesizes current clinical and scientific evidence on digital interocclusal records for dentate and partially dentate patients. Bilateral buccal scans involving approximately four teeth per side consistently demonstrate the highest accuracy, whereas unilateral and anterior scans show greater susceptibility to lateral drift and alignment error. The article evaluates the role of software-based and AI-assisted alignment tools, emphasizing appropriate use of occlusal collision correction, recognition of algorithmic artefacts, and the need for careful management of soft tissue interference, reflective surfaces, and mandibular deviation during scanning. In partially dentate cases, accuracy declines significantly once more than three posterior or six anterior teeth are missing. To address geometric discontinuity, auxiliary strategies such as scanning bridges, modified or segmental PVS records, preoperative prosthesis integration, and reference-based alignment through external CAD software are outlined. Verification through occlusal heat maps, articulating paper, or printed prototypes remains essential before definitive prosthesis design. By combining evidence-based scanning protocols, judicious use of alignment tools, and structured verification, clinicians can achieve predictable and reproducible digital interocclusal relationships across a wide range of dentate and partially dentate clinical scenarios.