Intraoral Scan for Virtual Skull-Dentition Hybrid Images of Young Patients

Abstract

Additional dentition images are needed because the dentitions are distorted in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) due to streak artifacts and non-uniformity of the x-ray beam. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of improving the dentition image of CBCT scan with intraoral scanner instead of plaster models. Maxilla images from plaster models, two intraoral scanners, and CBCT of 20 patients aged 12 to 18 were used in this study. With one of the intraoral scanners, the full arch was scanned by three segments and combined into a complete full arch. Virtual skull-dentition hybrid images from intraoral scanners were superimposed with the images from plaster models to evaluate the coordinate value difference and distance at reference points. The results showed that the coordinate value difference and distance were smallest with segmented intraoral scan, which showed only 2 ㎛ distance. Intraoral scan may provide good dentition images for virtual skull-dentition images.