Evaluating the effects of splinting implant scan bodies intraorally on the trueness of complete arch digital scans: A clinical study

A predictable protocol for accurately scanning implants in a complete edentulous arch has not been established. The purpose of this clinical study was to investigate the effect of splinting implant scan bodies intraorally on the accuracy and scan time for digital scans of edentulous arches. This single center, nonrandomized, clinical trial included a total of 19 arches. Definitive casts with scan bodies were fabricated and scanned with a laboratory scanner as the reference (control) scan. Each participant received 2 intraoral scans, the first with unsplinted scan bodies and the second with resin-splinted scan bodies. The scan time was also recorded for each scan. To compare the accuracy of the scans, the standard tessellation language (STL) files of the 2 scans were superimposed on the control scan, and positional and angular deviations were analyzed by using a 3-dimensional (3D) metrology software program. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the distance and angular deviations between the splinted group and the unsplinted group with the control. The ANOVA test was conducted to examine the effect of the scan technique on trueness (distance deviation and angular deviation) and scan time (α=.05 for all tests). Statistically significant differences were found in the overall 3D positional and angular deviations of the unsplinted and splinted digital scans when compared with the reference scans (P