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Accuracy in Dental Medicine, A New Way to Measure Trueness and Precision
Published on: April 29, 2014
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Comparison accuracy of digital and analog method using milled occlusal splints.
Álvaro Blasi1,2, Víctor Henarejos-Domingo2, Ricardo Palacios-Bañuelos2
1Department of Restorative Sciences, Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.
Summary
Digital impressions and traditional methods show similar accuracy for occlusal devices. While quantitative measurements were comparable, digital workflows were rated significantly better by evaluators for interocclusal registration.
Area of Science:
- Dental Materials Science
- Digital Dentistry
- Prosthodontics
Background:
- Accurate interocclusal registration is crucial for fabricating effective occlusal devices.
- Traditional polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) impression materials are widely used, but digital intraoral scanners (IOS) offer potential advantages.
- Comparing the accuracy of these methods is essential for optimizing digital workflows in prosthodontics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the accuracy of interocclusal registration in centric relation using PVS versus IOS for occlusal device fabrication.
- To evaluate volumetric changes and 3D comparisons of occlusal devices made from both impression techniques.
Main Methods:
- A clinical trial involving 31 participants fabricating two occlusal devices per workflow: one PVS, one IOS.
- Quantitative analysis using Root Mean Square deviation (RMS) to assess volumetric changes before and after adjustments.
- Qualitative and semiquantitative assessment by three blinded evaluators using Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and color maps.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant difference in RMS values between PVS and IOS impression techniques (p < 0.063).
- Digital impressions showed significantly lower VAS scores (2.08 ± 2.4) compared to analog (3.80 ± 3.3), indicating better perceived accuracy.
- Evaluators achieved over 90% agreement in qualitative assessments.
Conclusions:
- Digital impressions demonstrate comparable accuracy to conventional PVS impressions for interocclusal registration in this context.
- The study supports the use of a fully digital workflow for complete arch prosthesis fabrication, particularly for registering interocclusal relationships at an increased vertical dimension.
