Preliminary impressions are primarily used for which purpose?

Preliminary impressions are primarily utilized for creating diagnostic models, provisional coverage, and orthodontic appliances. These impressions serve as foundational tools in dental practices, helping to provide a reproduction of the oral structures.

When dentists require a preliminary impression, it's typically to assess the condition of the teeth, gums, and overall oral cavity. The resulting models can be used to plan treatments, design provisional crowns or bridges, and fabricate orthodontic appliances that aid in correcting misalignment. This process is essential in developing a strategy for both restorative and orthodontic procedures, where initial assessments are critical in drafting a comprehensive treatment plan.

In contrast, final restorations generally require more precise impressions tailored for fixtures like crowns or bridges, relying on more advanced techniques and materials than those used for preliminary impressions. Cephalometric analysis is an imaging technique used primarily in orthodontics involving the study of skeletal structures, which is beyond the scope of what preliminary impressions provide. Similarly, orthodontic dual arch impressions look to capture the occlusion and relationship between the upper and lower jaws, requiring a different approach than what preliminary impressions offer.