Objective To analyze in vitro the accuracy differences among traditional impression technology, intraoral scanning technology and extraoral photogrammetric scanning technology for edentulous jaw implant restoration. Methods Six implants were implanted in a standard mandibular edentulous resin model. Traditional impression technology, intraoral scanning technology and extraoral photogrammetric scanning technology were used to make impressions respectively. The linear distance and angular deviation between the scanned bodies were analyzed by software to evaluate the differences in accuracy and precision of different impression methods. Results The deviation values of linear distance and angle accuracy in the intraoral scanning group were significantly higher than those in the traditional impression group and the extraoral scanning group (P<0.001). The deviation value of linear distance accuracy in the extraoral scanning group was lower than that in the traditional impression group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the deviation value of angle accuracy between the traditional impression group and the intraoral scanning group (P>0.05). The deviation value of linear distance precision in the intraoral scanning group was significantly higher than that in the traditional impression group and the extraoral scanning group (P<0.001). The deviation value of linear distance precision in the extraoral scanning group was lower than that in the traditional impression group (P <0.05). The deviation value of angle precision in the extraoral scanning group was significantly lower than that in the traditional impression group and the intraoral scanning group (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the deviation value of angle precision between the traditional impression group and the intraoral scanning group (P >0.05). Conclusion Under the present experimental conditions, extraoral photogrammetric scanning technology yielded superior accuracy for edentulous implant restoration impressions.