Integration of digital workflow in dentistry and its clinical and laboratory impacts on the predictability of aesthetic-functional rehabilitations

Abstract

Digital workflows have changed how restorative treatments are planned and executed in dentistry. Intraoral scanning, planning software, and CAD/CAM systems have become part of the clinical and laboratory routine, improving traceability and reproducibility. In aesthetic-functional rehabilitation, however, the adoption of these tools only produces consistent results when there is real coordination between clinical and laboratory stages, with standardized documentation and shared technical decisions from the beginning of the case. This article presents a narrative literature review focused on the analysis of integrated digital workflow components: digital data fusion (STL, DICOM files and clinical photographs), reverse planning logic, and communication protocols between clinic and laboratory. Practical effects such as the reduction of adjustment cycles during try-in, more precise control of marginal adaptation, and fewer clinical sessions are discussed. The role of professionals with training that articulates clinical and laboratory knowledge is also addressed. The analysis indicates that outcomes in complex rehabilitations depend less on the technological level of the equipment and more on how processes and professionals are articulated throughout the treatment.