Diagnostic Applications of Intraoral Scanners: A Systematic Review

Abstract

In addition to their recognized value for obtaining 3D digital dental models, intraoral scanners (IOSs) have recently been proven to be promising tools for oral health diagnostics. In this work, the most recent literature on IOSs was reviewed with a focus on their applications as detection systems of oral cavity pathologies. Those applications of IOSs falling in the general area of detection systems for oral health diagnostics (e.g., caries, dental wear, periodontal diseases, oral cancer) were included, while excluding those works mainly focused on 3D dental model reconstruction for implantology, orthodontics, or prosthodontics. Three major scientific databases, namely Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, were searched and explored by three independent reviewers. The synthesis and analysis of the studies was carried out by considering the type and technical features of the IOS, the study objectives, and the specific diagnostic applications. From the synthesis of the twenty-five included studies, the main diagnostic fields where IOS technology applies were highlighted, ranging from the detection of tooth wear and caries to the diagnosis of plaques, periodontal defects, and other complications. This shows how additional diagnostic information can be obtained by combining the IOS technology with other radiographic techniques. Despite some promising results, the clinical evidence regarding the use of IOSs as oral health probes is still limited, and further efforts are needed to validate the diagnostic potential of IOSs over conventional tools.

Keywords: 3D dental models; diagnostics; digital impression; intraoral scanners; oral health.

Figure 1

PRISMA review workflow.

Figure 2

Distribution of the included studies across the years. The number of studies is reported on the y-axis.

Figure 3

Distribution of the main oral health pathologies/anomalies addressed in the included studies. The number of studies focusing on each pathology/anomaly is reported on the y-axis. The red circle highlights the two oral health topics occurring the most in the included studies (indeed, dental wear and dental caries diagnostics are addressed in almost 70% of the included studies).

Figure 4

Main intraoral scanners used for dental caries detection. The number of studies adopting each specific scanner for caries evaluation is reported on the y-axis.

Figure 5

The main intraoral scanners used for dental wear evaluation. The number of studies adopting each specific scanner for dental wear evaluation is reported on the y-axis.

Figure 6

Main software used for the assessment of 3D dental models. The number of studies adopting each specific software tool is reported on the x-axis.

Figure 7

The main software and tools used for dental wear evaluation.