Objective: To make more accurate occlusal quantitative analysis of three-dimensional (3D) virtual dental models and to compare the occlusal contact obtained by intraoral and dental cast scan.
Methods: In this study, 5 subjects were intraoral scanned using laser scanner (3 shapes, Germany) to obtain the 3D virtual models of one tooth (the first molar), two teeth (the second premolar and the first molar), three teeth (the premolars and the first molar) and their opposite teeth, respectively. The silicone impressions were made and dental stone models were poured for each of them. The dental casts were scanned and then they were fixed to the maximum intercuspal position with a special locating jig for a rescanning of occlusal position. The virtual models taken intraorally and obtained with dental cast scan were introduced to a 3D quantitative analysis system, and some criteria regarding to occlusal contact were calculated and analyzed. The occlusal criteria were mean values of occlusal clearance space between the upper and lower occlusal surface (clearance), occlusal contact area (area), and cusp inclination (angle) of the mandibular first molar. Paired t tests were used to evaluate differences of occlusal criteria between the virtual models obtained with the intraoral scan and dental cast scan (α=0.05).
Results: The mean values of occlusal clearance of one to three teeth obtained by way of intraoral scan were smaller than those obtained by way of cast scan by 0.134 mm, 0.177 mm, and 0.207 mm, respectively. While the occlusal contact areas were greater than the cast scan by 8.65 mm2, 10.28 mm2, and 11.46 mm2. No statistically significant differences were found between the cusps inclinations obtained with the two scanning methods, and the interclass correlations were high.
Conclusion: Occlusal clearance obtained by intraoral scan was less than that by cast scan while the occlusal contact area was greater than the latter, indicating that intraoral occlusal contact was closer. The difference of the standard deviations of occlusal clearance measured by the two methods were small and that of occlusal contact area was influenced by the number of teeth scanned intraorally. There was no statistical difference in cusp inclination between the two methods.