The use of sectional impressions and a transfer index for extensive fixed prosthodontic treatment.

The philosophy of positioning the margins of crowns supragingivally may not be applicable with the presence of caries, erosion, abfraction (noncarious cervical lesion), short clinical crown length, or esthetic concerns. In such situations, it is essential not only to record precise subgingival details of all of the prepared teeth but also to accurately transfer them to a working master cast. If a patient presents with oral and/or gingival conditions that compromise the clinician's ability to obtain a single full-arch impression for extensive fixed restorations, a technique using sectional impressions, an intraoral transfer index, and a transfer impression for transfer dies will play a vital role in the patient's treatment.