Congruence between Meshes and Library Files of Implant Scanbodies: An In Vitro Study Comparing Five Intraoral...

Area of Science:

• Digital dentistry
• Biomaterials engineering
• Dental prosthetics

Background:

• Intraoral scanners (IOSs) are crucial for digital dental workflows.
• Accurate capture of implant scanbodies (SBs) is essential for prosthetic rehabilitation.
• Evaluating the reliability of different IOSs for SBs is vital for clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the reliability of five intraoral scanners (IOSs) in capturing implant scanbodies (SBs).
• To verify the dimensional congruence between the scanbody meshes (MEs) and their corresponding library files (LF).

Main Methods:

• Five IOSs (PRIMESCAN®, CS 3700®, MEDIT i-500®, ITERO ELEMENTS 5D®, Emerald S®) scanned implant SBs on a gypsum cast.
• Ten scans per IOS were analyzed using 3D reverse engineering software.
• Superimposition of SB library files (LF) onto scanbody meshes (MEs) evaluated deviations quantitatively and qualitatively.

Main Results:

• PRIMESCAN® demonstrated the highest congruence (25.5 ± 5.0 μm), followed closely by CS 3700® (27.0 ± 4.3 μm).
• Significant differences in congruence were found between all other IOSs, with Emerald S® showing the largest deviation (38.3 ± 7.8 μm).
• Deviations varied in direction and pattern among IOSs, with some showing MEs within LF and others showing LF within MEs.

Conclusions:

• Statistically significant differences exist in the congruence of implant scanbody meshes generated by different intraoral scanners.
• The choice of IOS impacts the accuracy of digital impressions for implant restorations.
• Qualitative analysis revealed distinct deviation patterns for each IOS, highlighting the need for careful device selection.