Smart Denture Conversions FAQ

The Separable Fastener is the core innovation behind Smart Denture Conversions. It secures a TiBase to the multi-unit abutment and allows it to be captured inside the prosthesis through a much smaller opening than a Temporary Cylinder requires.

During pickup, it does exactly what its name says — it separates. The head stays locked inside the TiBase inside the prosthesis. The threaded portion remains seated in the multi-unit abutment. The tray closes without large access holes, and you’re left with precise screw channels already oriented to your implant positions.

If you’ve done an overdenture pickup, you already understand the principle. Smart Denture Conversions brings that same closed-tray logic to All-on-X.

No — and this is one of SDC’s most significant clinical advantages. Conventional conversions require parallel implants so Temporary Cylinders can pass through the prosthesis in alignment. With SDC, there’s no cylinder passing through, so divergent implants are no longer a problem. Screw channels go where they should, not where the cylinders allow.

The pickup itself can be performed either way — open flap or closed flap — and both are valid approaches. What matters more is when you register the MUA positions and confirm passivity: those steps should be done while the flap is still open, regardless of which pickup method you choose.

With the flap open, you can seat the denture directly, see exactly where adjustments need to be made, and confirm the denture is seating passively over your components before you commit to the pickup. Trying to do that registration step closed flap adds unnecessary uncertainty. Do it open, then proceed with whichever pickup approach you prefer.

SDC is compatible with a wide range of multi-unit abutments (MUAs) across numerous brands. Compatibility is determined by MUA height, angulation, and platform — not the multi-unit abutment brand itself. See the full MUA Compatibility page to find your specific combination.

The compatibility chart maps each MUA height, angle, and platform to the correct SDC kit. If you’re unsure about a specific combination — especially if you’re using a less common MUA or mixing systems — reach out before your first case. We’d rather confirm upfront than troubleshoot after.

Most experienced clinicians complete the chairside pickup and contouring in under 30 minutes. Pre-coating and screw channel drilling add minutes, not hours — both steps move quickly enough that they don’t meaningfully change the overall time commitment.

Some offices pre-coat in batches ahead of time to streamline case day further. Either way, you’re looking at a same-day provisional, delivered efficiently. Expect more time on your first case while you build familiarity with the sequence — most clinicians feel fully confident after about five arches.

Yes — directly. Because the pickup happens intraorally with the patient in the chair, fit and occlusion are verified before they leave. Using chin-point guidance, the patient is rotated into centric relation against the intaglio of the denture during pickup, so the occlusion is captured from the source and confirmed in real time. You’re not designing to a scan and hoping it translates.

You correct it before you proceed — seating the denture and confirming passivity is a dedicated step in the protocol, not a checkpoint you pass through quickly. Start by seating the denture and checking for binding by feel. If it feels clear, you’re ready to move forward.

If you feel resistance, here’s a quick way to identify exactly where: inject bite registration into the intaglio, cover with Teflon tape, seat the denture, and pull it off. The bite registration shows you precisely where the interference is. Make the relief directly in the material, confirm the fit, and proceed. Fast, reliable, and you know exactly what you’re correcting before you commit to the pickup.

Yes — SDC works for any number of arches. The only variable is how many Separable Fasteners and TiBases you have on hand relative to your implant sites. Order accordingly and you’re set.

After the denture is removed, the threaded post remains seated in the multi-unit abutment. A Press-On Cap is pressed onto the threaded post to cover and protect the MUA while the patient waits for their provisional. Press-On Caps are not screwed on — they press into place and are turned/rotated when it’s time to remove the threaded post later.

Some doctors prefer to use a conventional healing abutment in the interim, which is a valid approach. Press-On Caps are used specifically at the point of threaded post removal — press the cap onto the threaded post, rotate counterclockwise, and the post backs out with it.

Yes — and intentionally so. Leaving the cantilevers on the provisional allows the full tissue surface to shape the soft tissue during the healing phase. If you cut the provisional short, you lose that opportunity, and regaining ideal tissue architecture later is harder.

If you’re concerned about occlusal loading on the cantilever, take the posterior tooth out of occlusion. But before you make any modifications, duplicate the prosthesis first — so you have a reference you can return to in the digital workflow for the final restoration. As with any immediate-load full-arch case, cantilever length should still follow sound A-P spread principles.

We recommend Rapid Set Pickup Acrylic — engineered specifically for the SDC workflow. It mixes by hand, sets intraorally in under 3 minutes, comes in pre-dosed vials, and requires no pressure pot. As a high-grade PMMA, it serves as the universal housing to encapsulate and secure your TiBases, regardless of your provisional material.

For PMMA arches, Rapid Set Pickup Acrylic delivers a true same-chemistry fusion for a seamless, monolithic bond. For 3D-printed arches, such as OnX Tough, the SDC workflow provides a structural advantage by preserving bulk material volume around the conversion chimneys. Because printed photopolymers don’t chemically bond to acrylic, we recommend air-abrading the intaglio surface to maximize micromechanical retention.

Most clinicians learn acrylic in five classic stages. Here’s how those map to the terms you’ll hear in SDC training:

With Rapid Set Pickup Acrylic, the early stages move quickly. You’ll spend less time waiting and have a tighter, more predictable working window — which is exactly the point.

For SDC 1.0: yes. Pre-coating should be done before surgery, whether that’s the morning of the case or weeks out. Some offices pre-coat in batches to stay ahead of their caseload. Either way, the acrylic coating needs to be on the TiBase before it goes in the mouth — this is what allows the pickup material to lock into the undercut features of the TiBase and capture it reliably inside the prosthesis.

For SDC 2.0: no. The pre-coated TiBase integrates this step into the product itself — no chairside prep required. This was the most-requested improvement from SDC 1.0 users, and it’s part of why SDC 2.0 is the simpler entry point for most practices.

Yes — the Silicone Dam is a required part of the SDC protocol, not optional. It serves two distinct functions:

1. Protects the surgical site. The dam blocks acrylic from flowing into the undercuts of the multi-unit abutments during pickup. Without it, acrylic can lock onto the MUA and make removal difficult or destructive.

2. Thermal insulation. PMMA acrylic generates exothermic heat as it sets — most concentrated during the rubbery-to-set transition. The Silicone Dam acts as a barrier between the setting material and the surrounding tissue, keeping the patient comfortable during that phase.

We’ve built our own Silicone Dams designed specifically for the SDC workflow. Unlike traditional setups that require a separate dam and template, the SOX Silicone Dam integrates both into a single product — simplifying placement and reducing chairside steps. They’re available in 10-packs, Single Dam Kits that include Teflon tape and retaining rings, or in larger kits for higher-volume offices.

Both versions deliver the same closed-tray pickup result — the mechanism and the clinical outcome are identical. The difference is in setup.

SDC 1.0 uses a PEEK Cap and Threaded Post that you assemble into your TiBase. TiBases require pre-coating before surgery. SDC 1.0 is a proven, reliable system and isn’t going anywhere.

SDC 2.0 integrates the Separable Fastener directly into a pre-coated TiBase — no assembly, no pre-coating required, and no PEEK Cap to remove post-conversion. SDC 2.0 takes fewer steps to get to the same result.

For most new users, SDC 2.0 is the simpler starting point — no pre-coating, no assembly, and a more streamlined chairside experience. Some experienced clinicians prefer SDC 1.0 specifically because manual pre-coating allows them to apply a thinner layer on the Separable Fasteners and TiBases, giving them a bit more clearance. If you already have SDC 1.0 inventory or prefer that level of control, it remains a solid choice.

Not sure which fits your setup? See the compatibility chart or contact us and we’ll help you identify the right starting point.

Yes — and this is worth thinking through carefully. Digital workflows are excellent at designing a provisional that should fit. What they can’t fully account for is how tissue behavior, soft tissue contour, and patient-specific anatomy translate from a surgical-day scan to a physical prosthesis in the mouth. An IOS scan taken immediately post-surgery captures implant position and anatomy at a moment when tissue is swollen, displaced, and still settling.

Smart Denture Conversions captures the provisional intraorally, using the patient’s actual anatomy as the mold. Passivity and occlusion are verified chairside before the patient leaves. The principle is simple: verify first, scan second. SDC gives you something worth digitizing.

SDC and digital workflows aren’t either/or. The Prosthesis Scan Body lets you digitize the verified intraoral result immediately after conversion — so your digital workflow starts from a provisional that’s already been confirmed to fit and occlude, not from a surgical-day scan.

Intraoral scanning same-day is a legitimate workflow, and useful for many practices. The distinction worth understanding is what each approach actually captures.

A same-day IOS scan records implant position and anatomy at the time of surgery — when tissue is edematous and hasn’t yet settled. The provisional designed from that scan is built to fit a mouth that doesn’t yet exist in its healed state.

Smart Denture Conversions captures the provisional intraorally at surgery using the patient’s actual anatomy as the mold. Fit and occlusion are verified with the patient present, in real time, before they leave the chair.

These approaches aren’t mutually exclusive. Use the Prosthesis Scan Body after your SDC conversion to digitize the verified provisional. Scan second — and when you do, you’re scanning something that already works.

The Prosthesis Scan Body — sometimes called a reverse scan body — is used immediately after your SDC conversion is complete, with either SDC 1.0 or SDC 2.0. Once the provisional is verified chairside, the scan body attaches to the prosthesis and digitizes the confirmed result. That scan becomes your digital record: the exact position, occlusion, and tissue contours established at surgery.

Every reprint, every future restoration, and every treatment planning decision from that point forward is based on something that’s already been confirmed to fit and function. This is the direction we recommend for all SDC users — and the practical expression of the scan-second principle. Verify chairside with SDC, digitize the result with the Prosthesis Scan Body, and every restoration that follows starts from a proven foundation.

It’s worth the ten minutes, and we recommend it — especially for new SDC users. Creating a stone model before you drill screw channels gives you a physical reference you can work from if anything goes wrong in the lab. If a TiBase gets dislodged during drilling, you repair it on the model, not in the patient’s mouth.

For clinicians in a digital workflow, the Prosthesis Scan Body serves a similar purpose digitally — it captures the verified intraoral result so your digital record is based on what was confirmed chairside. For analog workflows or as an additional safeguard, the stone model is a fast, reliable backup that experienced SDC users consistently recommend.

No specialized instruments are required beyond what’s in the kit, and no formal prerequisite training is needed. That said, SDC is a fundamentally different approach than the conventional conversion method most clinicians learned — and that difference is worth spending time with before your first patient case. Not because it’s complicated, but because the technique has its own logic, and confidence comes from working through it hands-on, not just reading about it.

The Interactive Training Kit is the most direct path to that confidence. It walks you through the complete SDC workflow hands-on and includes a one-on-one virtual session with an SDC educator — so by the time you’re chairside, the sequence is already familiar. Most clinicians feel fully confident after about five arches.

We’ve built a training progression specifically for this:

The Interactive Training Kit lets you practice the complete SDC workflow hands-on — including a one-on-one virtual session with an SDC educator — before your first patient case. From there, we recommend a Premium Starter Kit so you can move directly into treating patients with all the components you need.

Yes — the complete SDC technique video series is narrated by Dr. Brandon Kofford, co-inventor of Smart Denture Conversions, Chief Clinical Officer at Smart On X, and a practicing board-certified prosthodontist. He walks through every step from pre-coating through final delivery, covering preparation, MUA identification, open vs. closed flap, dam placement, cutting wells, passivity confirmation, pickup, denture removal, contouring, duplication, screw channel creation, and finishing — plus dedicated troubleshooting videos for common first-case scenarios.

This applies to SDC 1.0 as SDC 2.0 has no PEEK Cap, so the step is eliminated entirely.

Removing the PEEK Cap happens as part of creating your screw channels. Start with the skinniest drill bit to establish your pilot, then follow with the stepped drill bit through the occlusal surface. To take out the PEEK Cap itself, switch to the clean-out drill bit on a lab handpiece — keep the speed low, no more than 5,000 RPM. Come straight through, and the PEEK Cap will release. Sometimes it sticks to the drill bit, which is fine; if it doesn't come away cleanly, take your pilot drill bit and pop it out from there.

The whole sequence is quick once you've done it a few times, and it flows directly into finishing your screw channels.

When drilling screw channels, friction generates heat — and heat can soften the acrylic holding the TiBase in place. If you push too hard or linger while drilling, there’s a risk of loosening or dislodging a TiBase. The fix is straightforward: keep your pressure light, especially as you near the seating surface of the TiBase. Let the drill do the work, and use the bounce technique — brief up-and-down passes — rather than sustained downward pressure.

This is one of the reasons creating a stone model before drilling is worth the time — if something goes wrong, you’re repairing it in the lab, not in the patient’s mouth.

Don’t panic — this is recoverable, and it’s not a big deal. If one TiBase stays on the MUA while the others picked up successfully, here’s the protocol:

First, proceed normally. Contour the prosthesis and drill screw channels for all positions, including your best estimate of the trajectory for the one that didn’t pick up — this creates your injection port. Then cut a section of your Silicone Dam, seat the prosthesis over the three successful pickups, and screw it down to those three MUAs at 15 Newton centimeters. Mix a small amount of acrylic, backfill your monolithic syringe, and inject through the injection port until you see material emerge buccally and lingually. Wait for it to set.

Unscrew the prosthesis, and you’ll find the remaining TiBase has been picked up — passively, because it was captured while the other three were fully seated and secured. Clean up any flash, complete the screw channel, and you’re done. In under ten minutes, you’ve got all four TiBases in the prosthesis.

This can happen if a Press-On Cap is screwed down rather than pressed on — the downward force can drive the threaded post deeper into the MUA. In most cases the threaded post is still usable as-is. If it’s gone deep enough that removal is difficult, the SDC Retrieval Tool connects directly to the threaded post — rotate counterclockwise and it backs the post out. A Cementation Aid can also be used to retrieve a threaded post if needed.

The simplest way to avoid this: don’t screw/rotate the Press-on Cap.

Yes — and it’s a natural combination. Omnibut gives you independent control over abutment angulation after implant placement, solving the problem of implant angle compounded by a fixed MUA forcing screw channels into non-ideal positions. Smart Denture Conversions gives you a passive, occlusally accurate provisional once the abutments are set. They address different points in the workflow and are designed to work together.

One note on prosthetic screws: Omnibut comes in two versions. The original M1.6 uses a larger-diameter prosthetic screw that isn’t the industry standard, so confirm tool compatibility before combining kits. The newer M1.4 version matches the industry-standard prosthetic screw size. The Omnibut Starter + SDC Recharge Kit bundle was built exactly for this workflow.