Purpose: To assess marginal bone loss to determine the reliability of two Virtual Articulation Techniques for designing occlusion in digital overdentures.
Materials & methods: 14 completely edentulous male patients were selected to participate in this study. Each patient received 4 parallel inter-foraminal implants and Zebris Optic analyzer was used for recording mandibular movements, using two different modules from the Zebris software; group I used ’Functional and Digital Occlusion’ module with complete virtual articulator, while group II used ‘Jaw Relation’ module with mathematically adjustable virtual articulator. The overdentures were digitally designed and fabricated by ExoCAD software. CBCT was performed to evaluate marginal bone loss around the implants after prosthesis loading at three (baseline), six, and twelve months.
Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in crestal bone loss around the implants, with p-value (p>0.05). Total bone loss was within acceptable limits with the highest mean value of bone loss in group II. At 6 months, the marginal bone loss in group II (0.154±0.057) had higher mean value than group I (0.132±0.058). At 12 months, the marginal bone loss in group II (0.181±0.061) had higher mean value than group I (0.160±0.059).
Conclusion: within the limitations of this study, virtual articulators demonstrate strong potential to optimize digital workflows in prosthodontics. The findings suggest complete virtual articulation is a reliable method for designing occlusion in digital overdentures, providing an accurate alternative to mathematical articulation.

Objectives: (1) To evaluate the reliability of Zebris JMA is for recording jaw movements of completely edentulous patients.
(2) To assess the accuracy of virtual articulation in designing occlusion of digital overdentures
(3) To investigate clinical applicability for improved patient outcomes and treatment planning.
(4) to evaluate the impact of virtual articulation techniques on the marginal bone loss

Methodology: In-Vivo study, comparing the marginal bone loss for digitally fabricated overdentures guided by Zebris Optic jaw motion analyzer with two different virtual articulators; completely virtual vs mathematically adjustable virtual articulator. Patients were randomly divided into two groups and the overdentures were fabricated using ExoCAD software.
– CBCT was used to evaluate and compare the marginal bone level in both groups at 6 and 12 months.
-Numerical data were explored for normality by checking the data distribution, calculating the mean and median values and using Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests.

Results: Results:
No significant difference was foind between the 2 virtual articulation groups.
Marginal Bone loss was within accepted limits in both groups.

Conclusions: Virtual articulators demonstrate strong potential to optimize digital workflows in prosthodontics.
The findings suggest complete virtual articulation is a reliable method for designing occlusion in digital overdentures, providing an accurate alternative to mathematical virtual articulation.