Dimensional accuracy of optical bite registration in single and multiple unit restorations

Area of Science:

• Dental Technology
• Biomaterials Science
• Digital Dentistry

Background:

• Accurate bite registration is crucial for prosthetic restorations.
• Traditional physical bite registration methods can be time-consuming and prone to inaccuracies.
• Advancements in digital dentistry offer potential improvements in accuracy and efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the dimensional accuracy of optical bite registration using the CEREC system against conventional physical methods.
• To evaluate the accuracy for both single and multiple posterior dental restorations.
• To assess discrepancies in interarch distance and occlusal plane angles.

Main Methods:

• In vitro study using epoxy dental models with prepared teeth for single and multiple restorations.
• Optical intraoral scanning and bite registration data acquisition.
• Conventional physical bite registration using silicone material.
• Dimensional accuracy assessment using coordinate measuring machine (CMM).
• Analysis of discrepancies relative to baseline measurements.

Main Results:

• For single restorations, the optical method yielded a slightly lower mean discrepancy (243.2 μm) than the physical method (311.1 μm), with significantly lower rotational deviation.
• For multiple restorations, the optical method demonstrated significantly larger discrepancies at prepared sites.
• The optical method exhibited significantly greater rotational deviation in the frontal view for multiple restorations.

Conclusions:

• Optical bite registration is effective for achieving dimensional accuracy in single posterior dental restorations.
• Conventional physical methods may still be preferred for multiple posterior restorations due to accuracy concerns with the optical method in such cases.
• Further research may explore refinements to optical systems for improved multi-unit accuracy.