Assessing the Influence of Implant Scan Body Material on Desktop Scanner Accuracy: An In Vitro Study.

Area of Science:

• Dental Technology
• Biomaterials Science
• Digital Dentistry

Background:

• Accurate digital impressions are crucial for successful dental implant restorations.
• The material and scanning technology of scan bodies can influence the accuracy of intraoral scans.
• Limited research compares titanium and PEEK scan bodies with different scanner technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of scan body material (titanium vs. PEEK) on the accuracy of desktop scanners.
• To compare the performance of white light and blue light scanning technologies using different scan body materials.
• To determine the clinical relevance of scan body material and scanner technology for high-precision implant restorations.

Main Methods:

• An in vitro study using two upper jaw models with an implant analog.
• Reference scan data acquired using an industrial scanner.
• 40 scans performed with two desktop scanners (Dentium, Kivi) using titanium and PEEK scan bodies.
• Deviation analysis using Geomagic software and a best-fit algorithm.

Main Results:

• Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)-Dentium group showed the lowest average deviation (24 ± 5.4 μm).
• Titanium-Kivi group exhibited the highest average deviation (81 ± 3.1 μm).
• Statistically significant differences in accuracy were observed between all tested groups (P < .05).

Conclusions:

• Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) scan bodies combined with white light scanners offer superior accuracy in digital dental impressions.
• The choice of scan body material and scanner technology significantly impacts the precision of implant restorations.
• These findings support the clinical use of PEEK scan bodies for achieving high-precision dental implant restorations.