Trueness of automatic complete denture segmentation in two implant planning software programs: An in vitro study

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Digital Dentistry
• Prosthodontics

Background:

• Accurate digital reconstruction of complete dentures is crucial for implant-supported prostheses.
• Automatic segmentation and reconstruction software play a role in the precision of digital dental workflows.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate how arch location (maxillary vs. mandibular) and implant planning software (DTX Studio vs. BlueSky Plan) influence the trueness of automatically segmented and reconstructed complete dentures.

Main Methods:

• Complete dentures were scanned to create reference models.
• Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data were used for automatic segmentation and reconstruction with two software programs.
• Trueness was assessed using 3D inspection software by comparing reconstructed models to reference scans via root mean square (RMS) values and color mapping.

Main Results:

• Both arch location and software significantly impacted segmentation trueness (P < .05).
• Maxillary dentures showed greater deviation than mandibular dentures (236 µm difference).
• DTX software resulted in higher deviation (541 µm difference) compared to BSP software. The Mx-DTX group had the highest deviation.

Conclusions:

• Arch location and implant planning software significantly affect the trueness of complete denture reconstruction.
• BlueSky Plan (BSP) demonstrated lower deviation than DTX Studio (DTX) for both maxillary and mandibular arches.
• Variations in trueness can impact the accuracy of surgical guides and interim prostheses, potentially affecting implant positioning and occlusion.