Influence of Intra-Oral Scanner (I.O.S.) on The Marginal Accuracy of CAD/CAM Single Crowns

Area of Science:

• Dental Materials Science
• Digital Dentistry
• Prosthodontics

Background:

• Intra-oral digital scanners (IOSs) are revolutionizing dental workflows.
• Accurate marginal fit is crucial for the longevity and success of dental restorations.
• Evaluating the performance of different IOSs in digital impressioning is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the marginal fit accuracy of digital workflows generated by eight different IOSs.
• To assess the performance of various IOS technologies in creating precise dental restorations.
• To determine if specific IOSs offer superior marginal adaptation for implant-supported prosthetics.

Main Methods:

• An in vitro study utilized a customized chrome-cobalt implant abutment on a stone model.
• Eight different IOSs were used to capture digital impressions, followed by CAD/CAM design and milling of zirconium dioxide copings.
• Marginal gap measurements were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analyzed statistically (Kruskal-Wallis test).

Main Results:

• The overall mean marginal gap was 53.45 ± 30.52 μm.
• PlanScan (40.04 ± 18.90 μm), 3D PROGRESS Plus (40.20 ± 21.91 μm), and True Definition Scanner (40.82 ± 26.19 μm) exhibited the minimum mean marginal gaps.
• Statistically significant differences in marginal discrepancies were found between these top-performing IOSs and others.
• All tested IOSs produced results within the clinically acceptable threshold of 120 μm.

Conclusions:

• Intra-oral digital scanners offer a viable alternative to traditional analog impression techniques for dental restorations.
• While PlanScan, 3D PROGRESS Plus, and True Definition Scanner demonstrated superior marginal accuracy in this in vitro setting, all evaluated IOSs provide clinically acceptable outcomes.
• The selection of an appropriate IOS can significantly impact the precision of digital dental workflows.