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Review
. 2025 Apr 3;17(4):e81662.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.81662. eCollection 2025 Apr.

Facial Scans in Clinical Dentistry and Related Research: A Scoping Review

Takahiro Shuto  1   2 , Yuichi Mine  3   2 , Akina Tani  4 , Tsuyoshi Taji  5 , Takeshi Murayama  3   2
Affiliations
Review

Facial Scans in Clinical Dentistry and Related Research: A Scoping Review

Takahiro Shuto et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

This scoping review examined the adoption of three-dimensional (3D) facial scanning technology in clinical dentistry, focusing on the range of scanning techniques, clinical applications, and related implementation trends. A systematic literature search of three major databases identified studies published between January 2020 and June 2024 that described 3D facial scanning of human participants in clinical dental settings. After screening 224 records, 48 from 19 countries met the inclusion criteria. Both clinical studies and case/technical reports showed that facial scanning was used in multiple specialties, including orthodontics, prosthodontics, and maxillofacial surgery, primarily for diagnosis, treatment planning, and outcome assessment. The technologies such as stereophotogrammetry, structured light scanning, laser scanning, and mobile device-based solutions vary in accuracy and ease of integration. Mobile scanning, in particular, is growing in importance due to lower cost, accessibility, and compatibility with digital workflows. Despite these advances, standardized protocols for integrating facial scans with other digital records, such as cone beam computed tomography and intraoral scans, remain underdeveloped. This review demonstrates the growing importance of 3D facial scanning in improving clinician-patient communication and identifies areas where further research is needed, including long-term validation, cost-effectiveness, and standardized data management.

Keywords: clinical application; clinical dentistry; facial scan; scanning technologies; scoping review.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: This study was partially supported by Grants-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan to Y.M., T.T. and T.M. [24K13026]. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Flowchart illustrating the screening process used to select the papers included in this study
The flowchart was adapted from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to meet the criteria of a scoping review.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Map depicting the geographic distribution of studies included in the scoping review
Darker shades represent a higher number of studies from each country, as detailed in the bar chart on the left.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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