Accuracy of Intraoral Scan Images in Full Arch with Orthodontic Brackets - Retrospective In Vivo Study

Q: What is the main objective of this retrospective in vivo study?

To evaluate the accuracy and trueness of intraoral scan images of full maxillary and mandibular arches with orthodontic brackets compared with scans without brackets.

Q: How were intraoral scans selected and compared?

IOS images were selected from 140 patients using standardized criteria for permanent dentition and timing before and immediately after bracket bonding. Accuracy was assessed by superimposition and comparison of average surface errors in matched regions of interest.

Q: What did the results show regarding reliability and accuracy?

Reliability between IOS1 and IOS2 was almost perfect. In contrast, average surface errors increased when brackets were present (IOSb vs IOS1c), and these increases were significant across regions and entire dentition (P<0.001).

Q: What clinical implication did the authors draw from the findings?

Clinicians should consider that orthodontic brackets can affect the trueness of digital impressions derived from IOS images in orthodontic patients.

Aug 25, 2026

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Objectives evaluate the accuracy of intraoral scan (IOS) images of maxillary and mandibular full arches when orthodontic brackets are present. Material and methods use digital impressions from 140 orthodontic patients, selecting pre-orthodontic IOS images (IOS1, IOS2) and immediate post-bonding images (IOSb) and performing superimpositions to test reproducibility. Accuracy is assessed through average surface errors using matched regions of interest. Results show near-perfect reliability for IOS1 vs IOS2, while IOSb vs IOS1c errors increase significantly across regions and entire dentition (P<0.001). Conclusions indicate brackets reduce trueness of intraoral scans.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Objectives

Material and methods

Results

Conclusions

Clinical relevance

Introduction

Background and rationale

Study hypothesis and purpose

Material and methods

Institutional review and patient selection

Inclusion/exclusion criteria

Image acquisition

Clinical Oral Investigations [https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-021-03792-0](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-021-03792-0) Accuracy of intraoral scan images in full arch with orthodontic brackets: a retrospective in vivo study Young-Kyun Kim 1,2 & So-Hyun Kim 3 & Tae-Hyun Choi 3 & Edwin H. Yen 4 & Bingshuang Zou 4 & Yonsoo Shin 3 & Nam-Ki Lee 3 Received: 15 May 2020 /Accepted: 8 January 2021 \# The Author(s) 2021 Abstract Objectives The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the accuracy of intraoral scan (IOS) images in the maxillary and mandibular arches with orthodontic brackets. Material and methods From digital impressions of 140 patients who underwent orthodontic treatment, consecutive IOS images were selected based on standardized inclusion criteria: Two pre-orthodontic IOS images (IOS1 and IOS2) of permanent dentition with fully erupted second molars and IOS images obtained immediately after orthodontic bracket bonding (IOSb) . Superimpositions were performed to evaluate the reproducibility of repeated IOS images. Accuracy of IOSb images was analyzed by comparing the average surface errors between IOS1c and IOS2c images, which were IOS images cut based on the same region of the interest as between IOS1 and IOSb images. Results A total of 84 IOS images was analyzed. The average surface errors between IOS1 and IOS2 images were 57 ± 8 μmand 59 ± 14 μm in the maxillary and mandibular arch, respectively, and their reliability was almost perfect. The average errors between IOSb and IOS1c images exhibited an increase, which measured 97 ± 28 μm in the maxillary arch and 95 ± 29 μm in the mandibular arch. These surface deviations between IOSb and IOS1c images were significantly larger in each region as well as entire dentition (P < 0.001) compared to those between IOS1c and IOS2c images. Conclusions The average surface errors of the scans with brackets showed increased values compared with those without brackets. This suggests that orthodontic brackets could affect the trueness of intraoral scan images. Clinical relevance It is necessary for clinicians to consider the effect of brackets on digital impression when using IOS images in orthodontic patients. Keywords Accuracy . Intraoral scan images . Orthodontic brackets . Digital impression Introduction Digital technologies have been applied to obtain digital models, calculate spacing and crowding, simulate virtual tooth * Nam-Ki Lee [ortho0328@naver.com](ortho0328@naver.com) 1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea 2 Department of Dentistry & Dental Research Institute, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea 3 Department of Orthodontics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea 4 Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada movements, virtualize orthognathic surgery, and fabricate surgical wafers [1–3]. Measurements on 3-dimensional (3D) dental models, which were rendered from either CBCT or extraorally digitized plaster casts, were clinically reliable and accurate compared to those from current gold standard plaster models [4, 5] . Furthermore, 3D printing of some orthodontic appliances has been introduced [6, 7] . Intraoral scanning is efficient, less stressful, and exhibits good acceptability [8–12], which allows clinicians to obtain patients’occlusion digitally without taking conventional impressions. Recently, some studies reported that the accuracy and reproducibility of intraoral scan images varies depending on different types of scanners [13–15]. Jeong et al. demonstrated a precision range from58 μm to116 μm with two types ofintraoral scanners [16] . Kim et al. found that, during scanning complete-arch models with different cavity preparations, the Trios scanner showed the highest precision(34.7 μm), and theE4Dscanner the

FAQs

What is the main objective of this retrospective in vivo study?

To evaluate the accuracy and trueness of intraoral scan images of full maxillary and mandibular arches with orthodontic brackets compared with scans without brackets.

How were intraoral scans selected and compared?

IOS images were selected from 140 patients using standardized criteria for permanent dentition and timing before and immediately after bracket bonding. Accuracy was assessed by superimposition and comparison of average surface errors in matched regions of interest.

What did the results show regarding reliability and accuracy?

Reliability between IOS1 and IOS2 was almost perfect. In contrast, average surface errors increased when brackets were present (IOSb vs IOS1c), and these increases were significant across regions and entire dentition (P<0.001).

What clinical implication did the authors draw from the findings?

Clinicians should consider that orthodontic brackets can affect the trueness of digital impressions derived from IOS images in orthodontic patients.

Aug 25, 2026

Upload by Skyler