In vivo full-arch accuracy of intraoral scanners: a narrative review

Abstract

Aim: The present narrative review aims to provide an overview of the in vivo accuracy of full-arch scans performed with currently used intraoral devices and to compare different methods for the determination of in vivo accuracy. Materials and methods: An electronic search was performed with the PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Web of Science databases, including articles from 2015 to 2020. Specific search strategies were developed for each platform.

Results: The final search resulted in five published articles. The mean values of trueness and precision of the examined scanners ranged from 12.9 to 80.01 µm for trueness and from 42.9 to 86.0 µm for precision in full-arch dentition. Not all studies evaluated both trueness and precision. Furthermore, the methods and references for determining the in vivo accuracy proved to be very different.

Conclusion: To date, no scientific consensus on the required accuracy of in vivo full-arch scans has been reached and published. Due to the small number of studies on the in vivo accuracy of full-arch scans, further studies should be conducted in this area. In addition, a concept for a valid reference that can be scanned both extraorally and intraorally should be developed.

Keywords: accuracy; digital dentistry; digital impression; in vivo accuracy; intraoral scanner; optical impressions; CAD/CAM.