Effect of scanning strategies on trueness and time efficiency of digital impression on paediatric models.

Background: Various scanning methods aim to reduce intraoral scanner errors, yet no specific approach targets paediatric patients.

Aim: Evaluate continuous (C) and noncontinuous (NC) scanning patterns' impact on the trueness and duration of paediatric digital impressions.

Design: A standard pedodontic typodont model was scanned with a Trios 4 Move+ IOS using four scanning strategies. C1 and C2 followed continuous scanning from the right molars, with different directions. NC1 scanned noncontinuously from the right molar, with breaks every four teeth. NC2 began at the right primary incisor, with breaks after every three teeth. Each scan, performed five times by one researcher, was timed. Industrial scanning provided reference data. Deviations were analyzed using the MIXED procedure.

Results: NC1 had higher deviations in the lower jaw, whereas C1 and NC1 showed higher deviations in the upper jaw (p < .001). C1 had significantly higher deviations in the upper jaw than the lower jaw (p = .041). NC2 had the longest scanning time in both upper and lower jaws (p = .002).

Conclusion: Paediatric digital impressions benefit from starting at the anterior and incorporating breaks, although this increases scanning time.