Influence of implant position on the accuracy of intraoral scanning in fully edentulous arches: A systematic review

Abstract

Statement of problem: Parallel dental implants improve prosthesis longevity and facilitate the impression making steps when compared with angled implants. The effect of implant angulation on the accuracy of casts generated by using intraoral scanners has not been fully investigated.

Purpose: The present systematic review addressed following the patient, intervention, control, and outcome (PICO) question: Does implant position affect the intraoral scanning accuracy of arches that will receive complete-arch implant-supported fixed dental prostheses?

Material and methods: A bibliographic search was performed in the Medline-PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases by using specific descriptors for studies published until July 2020. All studies evaluated the intraoral scanning accuracy of arches rehabilitated with multiple implants through implant linear and/or angular deviation.

Results: Eight in vitro studies that met the eligibility criteria were evaluated. Five publications showed lower linear and angular displacements for the digital scans compared with the conventional technique. Two studies showed that the digital scan presented higher angular and linear distortions than the conventional technique. Only 1 study did not find differences between the 2 recording methods.

Conclusions: Digital scanning is reliable. However, caution is needed concerning its indication, especially in patients where the angles between implants are greater than 15 degrees. The association of the implant angulation with the clinical factors needs to be further investigated. The absence of clinical evidence and methodological heterogeneity limited the results of this study.