The ability of marginal detection using different intraoral scanning systems: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Digital Dentistry
• Prosthodontics

Background:

• Intraoral optical scanning (IOS) systems are increasingly used in dentistry for digital impressions.
• Accurate detection of preparation margins is crucial for fabricating well-fitting dental restorations.
• The clinical performance of different IOS systems in detecting marginal discrepancies requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate and compare the clinical effectiveness of various intraoral optical scanning (IOS) systems in accurately detecting preparation margins.
• To assess the impact of interproximal tooth proximity on margin visibility with different IOS devices.

Main Methods:

• Thirty patients requiring onlay/inlay restorations with supra-gingival margins were enrolled.
• Three different IOS systems (GC-Europe, True-Definition, Trios) were used for chairside digital impressions.
• Conventional impressions served as controls, with all digital and conventional data analyzed using Exocad software.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were found between the tested IOS systems (A-C) in margin detection.
• A minimum distance of 4.5 mm was required for clear margin visibility across all IOS systems under the tested clinical conditions.
• Conventional impressions demonstrated clear visibility of all margins, outperforming the IOS systems.

Conclusions:

• The tested intraoral scanning systems demonstrated limitations in clearly capturing preparation margins when located less than 0.5 mm from an adjacent tooth.
• Under the study's clinical conditions, all evaluated IOS systems performed similarly, with no superior device identified for marginal detection in close proximity.
• Conventional impressions remain a reliable method for achieving clear margin visualization in challenging interproximal situations.