Use of optical see-through head-mounted display (OST-HMD) in dentistry: a scoping review

The aim of the present scoping review was to identify the scientific evidence related to the utilization of optical see-through head-mounted display (OST-HMD) in dentistry, and to determine future research needs.

The research question was formulated using the 'Population' (P), 'Concept' (Cpt), and 'Context' (Cxt) framework for scoping reviews. Existing literature was designated as P, OST-HMD as Cpt, and Dentistry as Cxt. An electronic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Two authors independently screened titles and abstracts and performed the full-text analysis.

The search identified 286 titles after removing duplicates. Nine studies, involving 138 participants and 1760 performed tests, were included in the present scoping review. Seven of the articles were preclinical studies, one was a survey, and one was a clinical trial. The included articles covered various dental fields: three studies in orthodontics, two in oral surgery, two in conservative dentistry, one in general dentistry, and the remaining one in prosthodontics. Five articles focused on educational purposes. Two brands of OST-HMD devices were used: in eight studies Microsoft HoloLens was used, while Google Glass was utilized in one study.

The overall number of included studies was low; therefore, the available data from the present review cannot yet support an evidence-based recommendation for the clinical use of OST-HMD. However, the existing preclinical data indicate a significant capacity for clinical and educational implementation. Further adoption of OST-HMD devices will facilitate more reliable and objective quality and performance assessments as well as more direct comparisons with conventional workflows. More clinical studies must be conducted to substantiate the potential benefits and reliability for patients and clinicians.