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Effect of offset on the precision of 3D-printed orthognathic surgical splints
Peiqi Wang1, Yipeng Wang1, Hui Xu1
1State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Orthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, 3rd Section of Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, 610041, China.
Objective:
This study evaluated the effect of offset on the precision of three-dimensional (3D)-printed splints, proposing to optimize the splint design to compensate for systematic errors.
Materials And Methods:
14 resin model sets were scanned and offset as a whole by given distances (0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.30, 0.35, and 0.40 mm). Intermediate splints (ISs) and final splints (FSs) were generated from the non-offset and offset models and grouped correspondingly, named as splint type-offset value, IS-0.05, for instance. Dentitions occluded with the splint were scanned. Translational and rotational deviations of the lower dentition relative to the upper dentition were 3D measured.
Results:
Deviations of ISs and FSs were more evident in the vertical and pitch dimensions, and were mostly acceptable in other dimensions. ISs with offset ≥ 0.05 mm showed vertical deviations significantly below 1 mm (P < 0.05) while ISs with 0.10- to 0.30-mm offsets had pitch rotations significantly lower than 1° (P < 0.05). The Pitch of IS-0.35 was significantly larger than ISs with 0.15- to 0.30-mm offsets (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, FSs fit better as the offset increased and FSs with offsets ≥ 0.15 mm all had deviations significantly lower than 1 mm (for translation) or 1° (for rotation) (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
Offset affects the precision of 3D-printed splints. Moderate offset values of 0.10 to 0.30 mm are recommendable for ISs. Offset values ≥ 0.15 mm are recommended for FSs in cases with stable final occlusion.
Clinical Relevance:
This study found the optimal offset ranges for 3D-printed ISs and FSs via a standardized protocol.
