Background: The success and maintenance of indirect dental restorations is closely related to the marginal accuracy, which is affected by many factors like preparation design, using of different fabrication techniques, and the time of taking final impression and pouring it. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of different pouring time of conventional impression on the vertical marginal gap of full contour zirconia crowns in comparison with digital impression technique. Materials and Methods: Forty sound recently extracted human permanent maxillary first premolar teeth of comparable size and shape were collected. Standardized preparation of all teeth samples were carried out to receive full contour zirconia crown restoration with deep chamfer finishing line all around the tooth with (1mm) depth, axial length (4mm) and convergence angle (6 degree). The specimens separated into two groups; Group A; eight specimens were scanned digitally by using Omnicam scanner; Group B; conventional impressions were taken for the remaining thirty two specimens and further subdivided to four groups according to the time of impression pouring; Group B1: PVS were poured after 30 minutes; Group B2: PVS were poured after 24 hours; Group B3: PVS were poured after 7 days; Group B4:PVS were poured after 14 days. Marginal discrepancy was measured at four points at each tooth surface. Sixteen points per tooth were measured using digital microscope at (180X) magnification. One-way ANOVA test and LSD test were carried out to see if there was any significant difference among the means of the conventional impression groups. Independent samples t-test was carried out to examine if there is any significant difference between digital and conventional impression technique. Results: group B2 had the least mean of marginal gap with statistically significant difference when compared to group B1 and statistically highly significant difference when compared to group B3 and B4. There was a statistically highly significant difference in the vertical marginal gap between digital impression technique and conventional impression. Conclusions: the pouring of conventional impression after 24 hours provides better marginal fit than other pouring time. The digital impression provides better marginal fit than conventional impression.
