Prediction accuracy of incisal points in determining occlusal plane of digital complete dentures.

Purpose: This study aimed to predict the positional coordinates of incisor points from the scan data of conventional complete dentures and verify their accuracy.

Materials and methods: The standard triangulated language (STL) data of the scanned 100 pairs of complete upper and lower dentures were imported into the computer-aided design software from which the position coordinates of the points corresponding to each landmark of the jaw were obtained. The x, y, and z coordinates of the incisor point (X_P, Y_P, and Z_P) were obtained from the maxillary and mandibular landmark coordinates using regression or calculation formulas, and the accuracy was verified to determine the deviation between the measured and predicted coordinate values. Y_P was obtained in two ways using the hamular-incisive-papilla plane (HIP) and facial measurements. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict Z_P. The root mean squared error (RMSE) values were used to verify the accuracy of the X_P and Y_P. The RMSE value was obtained after cross-validation using the remaining 30 cases of denture STL data to verify the accuracy of Z_P.

Results: The RMSE was 2.22 for predicting X_P. When predicting Y_P, the RMSE of the method using the HIP plane and facial measurements was 3.18 and 0.73, respectively. Cross-validation revealed the RMSE to be 1.53.

Conclusion: Y_P and Z_P could be predicted from anatomical landmarks of the maxillary and mandibular edentulous jaw, suggesting that Y_P could be predicted with better accuracy with the addition of the position of the lower border of the upper lip.