Clinical validity of tooth size measurements obtained via digital methods with intraoral scanning

Abstract

Dental diagnostic records derived from study models are a popular method of obtaining reliable and vital information. Conventional plaster models are the most common method, however, they are being gradually replaced by digital impressions as technology advances. Moreover, three-dimensional (3D) dental models are becoming increasingly common in dental offices, and various methods are available for obtaining them. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the measurement of dental digital models by comparing them with conventional plaster and to determine their clinical validity. The study was conducted on 16 patients' maxillary and mandibular dental models. Tooth size (TS), intercanine width (ICW), intermolar width (IMW), and Bolton analysis were anayzed by using a digital vernier caliper on a plaster model obtained from each patient, while intraoral scans were manually measured using two digital analysis software. A one-way analysis of variance test was used to compare the dental measurements of the three methods. No significant differences were reported between the TS, the ICW and IMW, and the Bolton analysis through the conventional and two digital groups. Measurements of TS, arch width, and Bolton analysis produced from digital models have shown acceptable clinical validity. No significant differences were observed between the three dental measurement techniques.