Optical scans give more repeatable implant measurements in jaw models
Optical intraoral scanning showed lower measurement variability than cone-beam imaging on most measures in a peer-reviewed laboratory comparison of 60 implants. The study used polymer jaw models and found generally close agreement between methods. Its repeated assessments describe reproducibility and method differences, without an independent reference establishing absolute accuracy in patients.
Science··Morning
Repeated scans give steadier measurements
Optical intraoral scans showed lower variability than cone-beam computed tomography in eight of nine implant-position measures in a peer-reviewed laboratory comparison. The scans construct a digital surface model optically, avoiding ionizing radiation; tomography produces three-dimensional X-ray images. Within-implant angular standard deviations were 0.20 degrees for optical scans and 0.55 degrees for tomography. The comparison covered 60 implants in 12 polymer jaw models, with five implants in each.[1]
Small average differences include wider individual variation
The average tomography-minus-optical difference at the implant base was minus 0.05 millimetres. Its 95 per cent limits of agreement extended from minus 0.62 to 0.53 millimetres, describing the spread of individual method differences around the small average. Differences were generally larger at sites extending behind the remaining teeth than in gaps bounded by teeth. No independent ground-truth position was measured, so the agreement analysis could not determine either method’s absolute accuracy.[1]
The design repeats acquisition differently for each method
Each model had one cone-beam acquisition evaluated three times, while three fresh optical scans were each evaluated three times. The agreement analysis used 180 paired assessments of the existing implants. Two operators shared the models, and placement methods were balanced without random assignment. Fixed geometry, one scanner and the absence of saliva, bleeding or patient movement limit extension to clinical practice. The investigators describe optical scanning as a complementary assessment method for these mandibular settings.[1]
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