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Comparison between stone and digital cast measurements in mixed dentition : Validity, reliability, reproducibility,
Lisa Schieffer1, Lukas Latzko2, Hanno Ulmer3
1University Hospital for Orthodontics, Department of Dental and Oral Medicine and Cranio-Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstr. 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria. lisa.schieffer@i-med.ac.at.
Summary
Measurements on three-dimensional (3D) digital dental models are reliable and reproducible for mixed dentition patients. However, operator experience impacts objectivity, suggesting a need for standardized digital workflows.
Area of Science:
- Orthodontics
- Digital Dentistry
- Dental Imaging
Background:
- Accurate dental measurements are crucial for diagnosing and treating malocclusions.
- Traditional methods using stone casts have limitations in precision and reproducibility.
- Three-dimensional (3D) digital models offer a potential alternative for dental measurements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the validity, reliability, reproducibility, and objectivity of measurements on 3D digital dental models versus traditional stone casts in patients with mixed dentitions.
- To compare measurement accuracy between digital and analogue methods.
Main Methods:
- 3D digital models were created from stone casts of 30 patients in the mixed dentition stage using an intraoral scanner.
- Two examiners (experienced and inexperienced) independently measured five parameters in triplicate on both digital models (OnyxCeph3™ software) and stone casts (vernier calliper).
- Statistical analyses included paired t-tests, Pearson correlation coefficients, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs).
Main Results:
- Four parameters showed significant intermethod differences, with overbite and intermolar distance exceeding clinical relevance (≥0.5 mm).
- Intermethod reliability was high, with lower method error for digital measurements and the experienced examiner.
- Both examiners achieved high reproducibility (ICCs > 0.907) with both methods, though interexaminer variation differed between digital and analogue measurements.
Conclusions:
- Measurements on 3D digital models using OnyxCeph3™ software are clinically acceptable for mixed dentitions.
- Both digital and analogue measurements demonstrated high reproducibility and reliability.
- Measurement objectivity was not fully confirmed due to the influence of operator experience.
