Initiating restorative procedures at the first-stage implant surgery with a positional index: a case report.

With the use of a positional index, the restorative dentist and laboratory technician can be provided with an accurate record of implant fixture location after first-stage surgery. Thus it is possible to fabricate a master cast with implant analogs and initiate laboratory procedures immediately after first-stage surgery, and a provisional restoration can be processed and delivered at the time of second-stage surgery. A case report is presented to illustrate the technique.