In vitro precision evaluation of blue light scanning of abutment teeth made with impressions and dental stone casts according to different 3D superimposition methods

PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine the precision evaluation of blue light scanning of abutment teeth impressions and dental stone casts according to different 3D superimposition methods. METHODS: Impressions and dental stone casts of the maxillary canine, 1st premolar, and 1st molar were fixed; they were repeatedly scanned 11 times, (6 types, total n = 66). Stereolithography (STL) files were superimposed one by one, and used to obtain 10 root mean square (RMS) values with the 2 superimposition methods (best-fit-alignment, no control). Statistical analysis included the independent t test and one-way ANOVA with Tukey honest significant differences (α = 0.05). RESULTS: RMS ± Standard Deviation (SD) values for the best-fit-alignment method of the abutment teeth impressions of the maxillary canine, 1st premolar, and 1st molar was 8.07 ± 0.76, 5.03 ± 0.23, and 6.59 ± 0.24, respectively, and those of the no control method were 9.36 ± 0.82, 7.10 ± 1.14, and 8.17 ± 0.36 respectively. RMS ± SD values for the best-fit-alignment method for the dental stone casts were 4.07 ± 0.27, 3.39 ± 0.07, and 3.29 ± 0.07, respectively, and those for the no control method were 6.26 ± 2.50, 4.98 ± 1.16, and 4.55± 0.74, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Using different 3D superimposition methods, blue light scanning of abutment teeth impressions and dental stone casts shows high precision. The no control method showed lower precision best-fit-alignment. However, the results may help advance the digital dental CAD/CAM research and the clinical field of Prosthodontics.