Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026
07:32
Measuring Maxillary Posterior Tooth Movement: A Model Assessment using Palatal and Dental Superimposition
Published on: February 23, 2024
Orthodontic measurements on digital study models compared with plaster models: a systematic review.
P S Fleming1, V Marinho, A Johal
1Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry, London, UK. padhraigfleming@hotmail.com
Orthodontics & Craniofacial Research
|January 6, 2011
Summary
Digital models accurately measure orthodontic features like tooth size and arch length, comparable to traditional plaster models. This review suggests digital models are a valid alternative for dental assessments, despite variable evidence quality.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Dental Technology
- Diagnostic Accuracy
Background:
- Conventional orthodontic assessments rely on plaster models.
- Digital models offer a potential alternative for data acquisition.
- Evaluating the accuracy of digital models is crucial for clinical adoption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the validity of digital models for measuring key orthodontic parameters.
- To compare measurements from digital models with those from traditional plaster models.
- To determine if digital models are a reliable substitute for plaster models in orthodontics.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of studies comparing digital and plaster model measurements.
- Searched multiple databases (MEDLINE, LILACS, etc.) without restrictions.
- Assessed methodological quality using the QUADAS checklist; no meta-analysis performed.
Main Results:
- Seventeen studies were included in the review.
- Differences in measurements between digital and plaster models were minor and clinically insignificant.
- Orthodontic measurements obtained using digital models were comparable to those from plaster models.
Conclusions:
- Digital models demonstrate comparable accuracy to plaster models for orthodontic measurements.
- The use of digital models can be recommended as an alternative to conventional plaster models.
- Further research is needed due to the variable quality of the existing evidence.
