Comparison of Dimensional Deviation of Digital and Conventional Impression Techniques in Dental Implants

 Given the dimensional changes in implant impressions and its complications, and the introduction of intraoral scanners that are likely to result in less dimensional changes, this study aimed to compare the dimensional changes of digital and conventional impression techniques in dental implants.

 The experimental study was conducted on 20 samples. First, a Ceramill laboratory scanner (Amann Girbach, Austria) was used to scan a stainless steel model. In the conventional impression group, an impression was taken with the open tray technique, and after pouring the cast, a digital model was prepared using a laboratory scanner. In the digital impression group, an intraoral scanner (Dentsplay Sirona, USA) was used to scan the stainless steel model 10 times. Each digital file obtained from groups 1 and 2 was superimposed on the Studio software environment (Geomagic® Studio 3D Systems, Rock Hill, SC, USA), and their dimensional changes were calculated. One-way ANOVA was used to evaluate dimensional changes of the two groups. Data were analyzed with SPSS 25.

 The results showed that the dimensional changes in conventional and digital impression groups were 0.178 ± 0.057 and 0.110 ± 0.43, respectively, with a significant difference.

 The impression accuracy for implant prostheses at different angles, using an intraoral scanner, was higher than the conventional impression technique using an impression material.